Nathra confirmed the impression of last year when running out a ready winner of the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket.
John Gosden's charge chased home the high-class Minding in the Fillies' Mile and following the defection of Richard Hannon's Illuminate on account of the soft ground, Nathra was sent off the 5-4 favourite.
Squash and Only Mine helped set a steady enough pace but Frankie Dettori looked to be sitting pretty with two furlongs to run.
On entering the dip she was caught a little flat footed and Dettori's demeanour in the saddle changed but on meeting the rising ground she stamped her class on the race and pulled a length and a half clear of the pursuers, looking like a step back up to a mile would suit her even better.,
Charlie McBride's Squash (33-1) stuck on for second with Robane (14-1) finishing with a flourish for third, three-quarters of a length away.
The winner was halved in price for the 1000 Guineas by Paddy Power who now go 8-1 from 16-1 for the Classic.
Gosden said: "She's done nothing but stay and it pays a huge compliment to Minding, who in my mind is the most impressive Fillies' Mile winner we've ever seen.
"It looked like they were going to come across to the rail as Frankie thought he was going to get well and truly boxed in and he had to move from his gap.
"As soon as he said go, she took off. He could have waited another 100 yards and she might have done it easier but he couldn't have afforded to wait that long with the risk of being up against the rail.
"I'm really happy. She's in both the French Guineas and the 1000 Guineas, she probably won't run in both. We'll see how she is over the next 10 days, it will be one way or the other."
McBride said of the runner-up: "She'd been working well at home and we just expected her to run a big race.
"We didn't put her in the Guineas as we had doubts about her getting a mile but on that run she possibly could get a mile as she was staying on up the hill.
"There are plenty of nice races for her throughout the year. She's very hardy and tough and is the type that never runs a bad race or lets you down."
Gosden's Swiss Range put her previous experience to good use when quickening clear in impressive fashion to land the EBF Stallions Newmarket Community Raceday Maiden Fillies' Stakes.
Having finished second on her debut at the track back in October, the three-year-old made no mistake in going one better on her seasonal return in the mile contest.
Always prominent in the hands of Dettori on the outside of the field, the 7-4 favourite readily put the race to bed once sent on inside the final two furlongs to eventually cross the line a convincing five-length winner.
Gosden said: "She's a nice filly but is a tall girl that is on the weak side. She is talented and we will see how she is over the next couple of weeks. We could look at races like the Pretty Polly as she wants stepping up to a mile and a quarter now. She handled it well but she will handle any ground."
Castle Harbour (100-30) rounded out a successful day for Gosden and Dettori when he tenaciously repelled his rivals by a length in the Alex Scott Maiden Stakes.
Gosden said: "He is a grand horse that missed last year through no fault of his own. He had been pleasing me nicely on the bridle at home. He has done nothing but improve. I love his attitude and he really stuck his neck out."
No comments:
Post a Comment