Nashwa invades France for the Prix de Diane
Cazoo Oaks (G1) third Nashwa will travel to France on June 19 for a second chance at classic glory in the Prix de Diane Longines-French Oaks (G1) at Chantilly Racecourse.
The filly trained by John and Thady Gosden is one of 18 in the French Oaks line-up, along with David Menuisier’s line-up Ottilian the other British hope. Aidan O’Brien, winner of the race for the first time last year with Jeanne D’Arc sends his own sister, the filly Galileo Toy.
Hollie Doyle resumes the journey on Nashwa. The pair popped up dangerously in Epsom this month before fading away in the latest furlong as Tuesday stung Emily Upjohn by a short head. Nashwa was sent off 4-1 second seed, having made a huge impression in rated stakes wins at Haydock and Newbury.
Hollie Doyle has the mount on Nashwa on the heels of a Royal Ascot success in the Coventry Stakes with Bradsell (pictured) at Ascot Racecourse
Imad Alsagar’s daughter frankel travels down in the Diane, which runs a distance of 1 mile and 2 1/2 furlongs and is no bigger than 5-2 with bookies Coral, Paddy Power and Betfair. She will come out of stall two, the same berth Treve scored from in 2013.
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His biggest threat according to the bets is Agave , representing André Fabre, Diane’s four-time winning trainer. She was beaten against the tide in her test for this, the Prix Greffulhe (G2) in early May, but had already shown plenty of potential with easy victories in the Prix Penelope (G3) and the Prix Rose de Mai at Saint- Cloud. .
Zellie , last seen finishing fourth in the Qipco Mille Guineas (G1), is another live chance for Fabre, with Tom Marquand in the saddle. The Wootton Bassett (GB)) filly hopes to regain the form that saw her win the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium des Pouliches (G1) as a juvenile last fall. carousel square and babala complete the strong quartet of the trainer.
From a rich, classic-winning family that also includes Gleneagles and Marvellous , Coolmore’s Toy will need to progress significantly after finishing in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches-French One Thousand Guineas (G1) peloton last month. The French Thousand Guineas was Toy’s debut, turning heads with an impressive first outing in Cork in April.
Ottilien has a 25-1 overall chance and was successful at Chantilly early in the season. She chased the house sea silk road in the William Hill Height Of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood in her last appearance, finishing fourth, and wearing a balaclava for the first time.