The £600,000 G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes, the joint-richest race for fillies and mares staged anywhere in Europe, takes centre stage on day three of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, Ladies’ Day, Thursday, August 2, with an excellent supporting card featuring the £300,000 G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes and £200,000 G2 Richmond Stakes.
QIPCO 1000 Guineas heroine Billesdon Brook (Richard Hannon), who captured the Newmarket Classic at unprecedented odds of 66/1, is among 10 fillies and mares remaining for the G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes (3.35pm) over nearly 10 furlongs.
Billesdon Brook has yet to race beyond a mile and was last seen out when fourth behind runaway winner Alpha Centauri in the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. The daughter of Champs Elysees has an excellent record at Goodwood, having won the Telegraph Nursery on this day in 2017 followed by the G3 Grosvenor Sport Prestige Stakes at the August Bank Holiday Weekend.
Cheveley Park Stud’s Veracious finished one place ahead of Billesdon Brook at Royal Ascot, a more than satisfactory performance given it was her first start since bolting up in a seven-furlong maiden at Newmarket in October.
Veracious’ trainer Sir Michael Stoute has captured the Qatar Nassau Stakes seven times, most recently with Favourable Terms in 2004, and needs one more success to equal the late Sir Henry Cecil’s record.
Chris Richardson, Managing Director of Cheveley Park Stud, said today: “Veracious came out of Ascot well and Sir Michael has been very happy with her.
“The Qatar Nassau Stakes is a step up in trip, but Mr and Mrs Thompson (owners of Cheveley Park Stud) and Sir Michael are keen to run and that is the plan.
“I think her run at Ascot was above what we expected, to be honest. We were delighted with the performance and were obviously beaten by a special filly.
“Sir Michael did not want to tuck her in behind horses at Ascot and then find she was fighting for her head in the early half of the race, which is why we let her stride on. It wasn’t the intention to set it up for anybody else, it was more the fact she had not raced for so long.
“The 10 furlongs will certainly give us other options if it all works out next week. As far as we can see on pedigree, she definitely deserves the opportunity over 10 furlongs.”
