Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes |
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| Group 1, York 15:35 £500,000 guaranteed, 2yo plus, 5f, Class 1  |
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Jack Davison’s sprint star She’s Quality edged closer to the big one with yet another narrow defeat – this time in the King George Qatar Stakes – but all eyes now turn to York and the Nunthorpe.
For the fourth time this season, the consistent-as-they-come filly filled the runner-up spot in a Group race on British turf, this time going down by just a neck to Jm Jungle in a gripping five-furlong burn-up on the Sussex Downs.
Sent off at 9/1 under the ever-improving James Ryan, She’s Quality delivered her customary late charge but just couldn’t claw back the leader in time. Still, her trainer left Goodwood with more hope than frustration.
“She’s a super filly – four seconds at the highest level,” said Davison, with a mix of pride and defiance. “The Nunthorpe’s the target and hopefully she gets her reward there. Thirty-seven millimetres of rain probably didn’t help – but no excuses, she’s run a cracker again.”
The Irish raider has danced every dance this year and keeps improving. “I think she’s the best sprinter in Ireland – bar none,” Davison added. “To bring her over here and go toe-to-toe with the best the UK has is a privilege. She’s only four, she’s learning to sit in and pounce – she’s really getting the hang of it now.”
Just behind her in third was Time For Sandals, who was taking a drop in trip after her Group 1 success in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. It was a fact-finding mission for trainer Harry Eustace – and she passed plenty of tests without passing the post first.
“Back to five, under a penalty, tight track – we wanted to see how she coped,” Eustace said. “She travelled beautifully, looked at home, but five furlongs is unforgiving – she just couldn’t quite force a gap when she needed it.”
Still, there was no hint of disappointment. “She came again, which not many do. My gut says Haydock next for the Sprint Cup. She looks more at ease over six. She’s only three, and I want to mind her. We’re not going to get greedy.”
Further back, Asfoora, the much-touted Aussie raider, never really fired in seventh – a repeat of her run in the King Charles III Stakes at Ascot, where she looked dangerous but failed to land a blow.
“Good, without being great – again,” said trainer Henry Dwyer. “She’s not had the rub of the green in either run here. She hit her peak about 100 metres out, which we expected from a fitness point of view. York's next – provided she’s come out of this well.”
Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes
(Group 1) (British Champions Series)
£500,000 guaranteed, 2yo plus, 5f, Class
1
29 entries
Going:
NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY (form as of Jul 31)
1 74-13R Clarendon House 7 9-13 Robert Cowell
2 046411 Get It 7 9-13 George Baker
3 223123 Jm Jungle 5 9-13 John & Sean Quinn
4 46-755 Kerdos 5 9-13 Clive Cox
5 1/3/00 Manaccan 6 9-13 John Ryan
6 11-300 Night Raider 4 9-13 K R Burke
7 141021 Spartan Arrow 5 9-13 Archie Watson
8 -24371 Washington Heights 5 9-13 Kevin Ryan
9 6-3590 Ain't Nobody 3 9-11 Kevin Ryan
10 131621 Arizona Blaze 3 9-11 Adrian Murray
11 4-1472 Big Mojo 3 9-11 Michael Appleby
12 231-76 Magnum Force 3 9-11 G M Lyons
13 211808 West Acre 3 9-11 George Scott
14 5-1260 Whistlejacket 3 9-11 A P O'Brien
15 24-175 Asfoora 7 9-10 Henry Dwyer
16 2-3199 Balmoral Lady 4 9-10 Ed Walker
17 10-180 Enchanting 4 9-10 Andrew Balding
18 872212 Frost At Dawn 4 9-10 William Knight
19 06-112 Mgheera 5 9-10 Ed Walker
20 80-618 Monteille 4 9-10 Mario Baratti
21 10-222 She's Quality 4 9-10 Jack W Davison
22 3415-3 Celandine 3 9-8 Ed Walker
23 2-5836 Grande Marques 3 9-8 J A Stack
24 6-1341 Sayidah Dariyan 3 9-8 Richard Hughes
25 1-3238 Star Of Mehmas 3 9-8 Richard Hughes
26 32-321 Time For Sandals 3 9-8 Harry Eustace
27 10-221 Town And Country 3 9-8 Henry De Bromhead
28 2211 True Love 2 8-0 A P O'Brien
29 188 Zelaina 2 2 8-0 K R Burke
