Jamie Clark was Sports Editor of Coral bookmakers between 2014 and 2017 during their merger with Labrokes and a key period for the British betting industry. Working as a bookie’s runner on the point to point circuit in the Midlands and at Market Rasen Racecourse where his late godfather had a trackside pitch growing up, he has had ties to horse racing all of his life. A regular visitor to Cheltenham during the National Hunt season and York over the summer, he has been involved in Horsebetting.com since its inception. Jamie now brings you his take on major news stories from the racing world and those all-important betting tips.
Gosden filly can continue sequence of victories
The feature race on day 3 of Glorious Goodwod is the 1m 2f Group 1 Naasau Stakes for fillies and mares (14:15). Nazeef has won her last six and shaped as though she could stay this trip on recent starts, so appeals most.
Trained by John Gosden for Hamdan Al Maktoum, this four-year-old daughter of Invincible Spirit has taken her form to a new level this season. Nazeef bolted up in a Newmarket handicap on her final start of 2019, completing a hat-trick after maiden and novice wins.
She then took the step up into Listed company in her stride when scalping 2018 1000 Guineas heroine Billesdon Brook on reappearance at Kempton. Nazeef did enough by leading towards the finish for a three-quarters of a length victory.
Connections then pitched her into Group 2 company for the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot. Nazeef needed all of the stiff mile to again lead close home and touch off Agincourt by a head.
A hat-trick of black type races followed at Newmarket’s July Festival last time out when she landed the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes.
Nazeef ran on well yet again to get up and confirm previous form with Billesdon Brook. The pair met off 7lb worse terms for her at Newmarket than at Kempton, but the result was the same.
As Nazeef was always doing enough and comes late, she is well worth a crack over this trip. Those exploits have earned her joint top rating in the Nassau Stakes this year of 116.
While she faces no easy task in giving in 9lb weight-for-age to the three-year-olds, she is the in-form filly. On that basis and the fact that Gosden has won the race four times before, Nazeef gets our vote.
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Fancy Blue feared
One of those youngsters getting lumps of weight is Prix de Diane heroine Fancy Blue. When factoring the allowance in, she is 7lb well-in on Naeef and Magic Wand for fledgling trainer Donnacha O’Brien.
A winner of both her starts last season when in care of famous father Aidan, this Deep Impact filly ran a fine race in defeat on reappearance.
That came on debut for her handler in the Irish 2000 Guineas where Fancy Blue only found Peaceful two lengths too good. She has since reversed form with the winner, while the fifth home Even So landed the Irish Oaks.
Fancy Blue somewhat scrambled home in the Prix de Diane with only half-a-length separating her from the fourth at Chantilly. The way in which she finished in a heap with fellow Irish raiders Alpine Star and Peaceful is a concern.
The Nassau Stakes is no easier against an in-form Nazeef, who has made similar progress to Fancy Blue. Race terms may be in her favour, but her French Classic triumph was far from convincing.
Her Coolmore connections clearly mean business, however, as Ryan Moore now takes the ride for the first time. Fancy Blue is the obvious danger and, while it’s not a stretch to imagine her following-up, she looks opposable.
Goodwood is a sharp track, whereas she has raced on galloping and testing courses. For that reason, Fancy Blue is worth taking on with Nazeef.
Coolmore also have globetrotting mare Magic Wand engaged and Frankie Dettori taking the ride. The five-year-old just doesn’t have the same scope for further progress as Fancy Blue, though.
One Voice overpriced in Nassau Stakes
The other three-year-old in the seven-runner line-up, One Voice, could go well at a big price. Trained by Jessica Harrington, she had no luck in-running at all last time out.
Prior to that, the Poet’s Voice filly held Snow by half-a-length in the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes at Leopardstown. One Voice was sent off the 6/4 favourite for the Group 2 Kilboy Estate at The Curragh off the back of that.
However, she found a wall of horses in front of her approaching the final furlong. One Voice was still going well, though, and when switched left ran on really well.
Although she was only fifth, One Voice clearly shaped far better than the bare result suggests. She was just two lengths behind the winner, Lemista.
It is well worth forgiving her that run. The Nassau Stakes demands more but, granted a clearer passage, she retains plenty of potential. One Voice may even be underrated off a mark of 106 and gets the 9lb weight-for-age for her elders.
Taking that into account, it’s not a stretch to imagine her giving a much better account of herself. One Voice could hit the frame if one or other of the market principals fail to fire.
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