Nassau Stakes Preview: Irish Hopefuls to Watch at Goodwood

The Nassau Stakes is the feature race at Glorious Goodwood on Thursday afternoon and there are three Irish-based contenders remaining amongst a possible field of seven at the confirmation stage.

The Epsom Oaks runner-up and subsequent Pretty Polly winner Whirl headlines, but she could face a strong challenger also crossing the Irish Sea after a momentous Royal Ascot win.

Whirl leads Ballydoyle Nassau charge

Aidan O'Brien won his fifth Nassau Stakes 12 months ago as Ryan Moore brought Opera Singer to full voice at Goodwood, adding to wins for the Ballydoyle handler with Peeping Fawn (2007), Halfway To Heaven (2008), Minding (2016) and Winter (2017).

Given that symmetry, punters may be hoping he can land successive wins again now.

Whirl was edged out by stablemate Minnie Hauk after a terrific battle in the Oaks at Epsom, the pair having come a long way clear of the rest.

The Coolmore-owned daughter of Wootton Bassett has since bagged the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh over 1m2f, while Minnie Hauk added the Irish Oaks.

O'Brien has also left in Bedtime Story The Frankel filly stepped up to this intermediate trip at Chantilly in June, finishing a close second in the Prix de Diane, and remains open to further progress.

Joe Murphy meanwhile has the possibility of running Royal Ascot winner Cercene The Australia filly was a 33/1 winner of the Coronation Stakes in June under Gary Carroll and, afterwards, this race was touted in dispatches from the handler as he celebrated a maiden Group 1 winner 48 years into his trainer career.

Sujet could travel for Weld

Dermot Weld has options for his promising Juddmonte-owned gelding Sujet. The son of Frankel made a winning handicap debut at the Curragh (1m1f, good) in June, defying an opening mark of 78 to beat 95-rated Mississippi River by a length under Chris Hayes.

Lady In Paris (third) and Dignam (fifth) both came out and won their next starts, while Mississippi River ran a big race at Leopardstown in a valuable handicap from 3lb higher in the ratings.

Sujet could travel to Goodwood for the opener on day three, the Coral Kincsem Handicap over an optimal mile-and-a-quarter trip, though Weld has also left him in a couple of races at Galway, including the prestigious Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap where his proven stamina could come in useful.

Lots of options in Richmond Stakes

The Group 2 Richmond Stakes over 6f could have lots of Irish interest, based on the confirmations.

The O'Brien's have options. Joseph has Andab, while Aidan counts Neolithic and Puerto Rico amongst the possibles.

Johnny Murtagh may run Chicago Call while Kildare-based John O'Donoghue has seemingly settled on this race for Nuevo Slovo.

The gelded son of James Garfield was a winner at Ayr in April over 5f and ran well at Royal Ascot to finish fifth in the Windsor Castle Stakes — just over two lengths behind Havana Hurricane.

Oisin Murphy is chalked up to ride for O'Donoghue at Glorious Goodwood.

Galveston to carry Gordon Stakes hopes

Frankel colt Galveston netted the second win of his career when obliging at Naas in May in a minor event for the Coolmore partners.

He has since gone to Royal Ascot and run with credit upped in trip in the King Edward VII Stakes where he perhaps paid a tariff for setting the early fractions.

He's the sole Irish contender in the HKJC World Pool Gordon Stakes over that mile-and-a-half trip, the remaining Group-race offering on day three at Glorious Goodwood.