Via Godolphin
Three-year-old fillies Wuheida and Sobetsu go for further G1 glory in the 10-furlong Nassau Stakes, the feature race on day three of Glorious Goodwood, Thursday, August 3.
The Charlie Appleby-trained daughters of Dubawi have both triumphed at G1 level in France, with Wuheida (William Buick) staying on well to take the Prix Marcel Boussac over a mile at Chantilly in October.
Wuheida, unbeaten at two, has made one subsequent appearance, running a fine race to come home second in the G1 Falmouth Stakes, also over a mile, at Newmarket’s July Festival on July 14.
Sobetsu (James Doyle), also by Dubawi and an impressive three-length winner of the 10-furlong G1 Prix Saint-Alary at Deauville on May 14, drops back down in distance after finishing eighth over a mile and a half in the G1 Oaks at Epsom Downs on June 2.
Nine runners are set to line up in the Nassau Stakes and they include Winter, a three-time G1 winner this season, G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf scorer Queen’s Trust and Nezwaah, successful in the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes on her latest outing.
Charlie Appleby commented: “I have been pleased with the way Wuheida came out of the Falmouth Stakes and we are looking forward to stepping her up in trip. She looks to have come on for her seasonal reappearance and, if she can build on that run, it would make her very competitive. We are happy to let her take her chance on good or good to soft ground but, if it becomes too testing, then we may have to review the situation. We are coming back in trip with Sobestu and she won the Prix Saint-Alary on soft ground, so conditions could come into her favour if the rain arrives. If she gets her ground and can repeat her performance at Deauville, then she won’t look out of place in this line-up.”
Godolphin also has two contenders in Thursday’s other Pattern race for fillies and mares, with Endless Time (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) and Natural Scenery (Saeed bin Suroor/Jim Crowley) going for the G3 Lillie Langtry Stakes over a mile and three quarters.
Five-year-old Endless Time, beaten a half a length when second in the 12-furlong G1 Prix Vermeille at Chantilly last year, steps down in trip after fading to 10th in the G1 Gold Cup over two and a half miles at Royal Ascot on June 22.
Natural Scenery, a maiden winner on good to soft ground at Newmarket in June 2016, returns to turf following a string of fine efforts on an All-Weather surface. The four-year-old daughter of Dubawi captured three handicaps during the winter and was runner-up in the valuable Northumberland Plate Heritage Handicap over an extended two miles on Tapeta at Newcastle on July 1.
Charlie Appleby said: “Endless Time won a G2 on soft ground at Haydock last season and will appreciate any rain. “She didn’t see out the two and a half miles in the Gold Cup and the drop back in trip is going to suit. She has won at Goodwood before and, if she turns up on her A game, she is going to be very competitive.
Saeed bin Suroor remarked: “Natural Scenery ran an excellent race in the Northumberland Plate and has done well since. This distance will suit her and she has been working nicely. This is a tough contest but she always runs well and deserves to take her chance.”