Winter ready to rule once more
WINTER can follow in the famous hoofprints of the recently retired Minding by landing the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.
Minding was a dominant winner on the Sussex Downs last summer, following up her previous victories in the 1000 Guineas, the Epsom Oaks and the Irish Oaks.
Aidan O’Brien’s superstar filly has unfortunately been forced into early retirement by injury, but dual 1000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes heroine Winter looks the natural heir to her throne at Ballydoyle as she prepares to venture beyond a mile for the first time in this 10-furlong contest.
Trained by David Wachman last year, the daughter of Galileo was beaten on her first start for the O’Brien team, but has since chalked up a hat-trick of Group One wins.
She ventures into the unknown distance-wise and takes on her elders for the first time, but gets the age allowance and it is hard to envisage any of these fillies being able to give weight and a beating to a threeyear-old of Winter’s quality.
Cardsharp was such a cosy winner of the July Stakes at Newmarket that he is fancied to defy a 3lb penalty in the Qatar Richmond Stakes.
Mark Johnston’s charge was a length and three-quarters too good for US Army Flag over this trip on the July Course and can come out on top again despite having to give weight away.This easy six furlongs looks tailor-made for Cardsharp as he had enough speed to finish a good third in the Norfolk Stakes over the minimum trip at Royal Ascot.
Endless Time can make the most of having her sights lowered in the Markel Insurance Fillies’ Stakes.
The Charlie Appleby-trained fiveyear-old cut no ice in the Ascot Gold Cup, but her fourth placed finish behind Dartmouth in the Yorkshire Cup on her seasonal reappearance would give her every chance in this Group Three race, registered as the Lillie Langtry Stakes.
Ease in the ground would be no inconvenience as she lifted the Lancashire Oaks on the soft at Haydock last summer.
Poetic Steps can keep her unbeaten record intact in the Telegraph Nursery Handicap. The chestnut filly was a 20-1 winner on her racecourse debut at Hamilton, but proved that was no fluke with an assured all-the-way success at Carlisle less than a fortnight later.
Trainer Mark Johnston loves a Goodwood winner and you can be sure he has had this race in mind since his filly’s victory in Cumbria.