Nashwa (4-1) came right back to form to register the third Group One victory of her career in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes, the highlight of Festival Friday at the Boodles July Festival at Newmarket.
Successful at the top level in the Prix de Diane and Nassau Stakes in 2022, the four year old Frankel filly had run below par on her two outings this season prior to today. However, she amply justified the decision to supplement her for this race at a cost of £20,000 last Saturday with a stunning success.
Hollie Doyle enjoys the post-race celebration (Pic – Racing TV)
Partnered by Hollie Doyle, the Imad Alsagar-owned Nashwa travelled smoothly into the lead entering the final furlong and went to score by five lengths from Remarquee (11-2) with another length and a half back to the Evens favourite Via Sistina in third.
Nashwa is trained by John and Thady Gosden. When sole licence holder, John Gosden won the Falmouth Stakes with Ryafan (1997), Elusive Kate (2013) and Nazeef (2020).
John Gosden said: “She’s a filly that has taken a long time to come to herself. She ran in France and she wasn’t there and at Newcastle she was a little keen early. It’s a stiff mile and a quarter up there and she just over-raced early and got caught in the last few strides.
“I only thought in the last week that she needs racing, I didn’t want her to be too fresh for the Nassau Stakes by waiting seven weeks. I thought coming here would suit as she’s got plenty of speed any how that a mile has really suited her – she’s a filly who could run in the QEII (at Ascot) at the end of the year.
“I didn’t like the gap between Newcastle and the Nassau, she gets big and she gets fresh and she goes to Goodwood and over-races and is too keen. So, this race is close to home and just thought of it last weekend. I rang Teddy (Grimthorpe) and he wondered what I was smoking! I just knew it was the right thing to come here and she’s proven it. She’s a classy filly.
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“She’s a powerful filly and she’s built like a colt and a mile and a quarter is the top of her range really. She was third in an Oaks and we found out she didn’t stay. The plan now is to go to the Nassau.
“She’s finely come to herself. A lot of them have found the spring difficult, Emily Upjohn was going to run in Dubai and she didn’t end up running until June, so with the fillies you have to be patient. She’s come here though and she’s super adaptable.
“Hollie gets an excellent tune out of her. She’s over raced at Newcastle but we’ve learned from that and come here.”
Hollie Doyle said: “Things are going excellent, so I can’t complain. For this filly to get her head back in front and just display how good that we know she is – it is the icing on the cake. She’s been a real flagbearer for me and the team and there were plenty of doubters on the back of her last two runs today, but John Gosden is a master and you shouldn’t doubt him.
“I think she’s just proven to be extremely versatile, you can ride her anywhere and she stays 10 furlongs. Plenty more doors have been opened stepping her back down to a mile.”
- Racing TV
