Tribune News Network
Chicester (UK)
Opera Singer (Justify) landed the Qatar Nassau Stakes, a Gr 1 contest for 3YO+ fillies and mares over 2000, as the races of the QREC-sponsored Qatar Goodwood Festival continued on Day 3 (Thursday) with 9 races at the Goodwood Racecourse.
HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saoud Al Thani, Ambassador of Qatar in the UK, in presence of HE Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, QREC Chairman, presented the trophies to the winners of the day’s feature event.
Runner-up of the Gr.1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on last outing, the three-year-old Opera Singer (Justify) continued to progress, bouncing back to winning ways since she won the Gr1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac on the Qatar Prix De L’arc De Triomphe day last October.
Owned by M Tabor, D Smith, Mrs J Magnier & Westerberg and trained by Aidan O’Brien, Opera Singer is now a dual Gr.1 winner.
With Ryan Moore in the saddle, the Ballydoyle filly was fast away from the stalls and made all. Half a length ahead of Lumiere Rock (Saxon Warrior) entering the final straight but clear of the rest, the superb filly never looked in danger despite the late challenge of See The Fire (Sea The Stars) who finished second. The French raider Sparkling Plenty (Kingman) was an eye-catching third clocking the quickest final furlong.
"We were very confident she would stay”, said the winning trainer, Aidan O’Brien after the race, "She started late in the Irish Guineas. She was not quite there on ground, that was slow on the day which was not going to suit her. She ran a super race at Ascot and she won the Boussac over a mile last year, staying on very well.”
Bred by Mrs E Stockwell, she is out of Gr.3 winner Liscanna (Sadler’s Wells), who is a daughter of Listed winner Lahinch (Danehill Dancer) and a half sister to Gr.3 winner The Bogberry (Hawk King). And a half sister to Gr.1 winner Hit It A Bomb (War Front) and Gr.1 winner Brave Anna (War Front).
Present on the third day of the Festival were HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saoud Al Thani, Ambassador of Qatar in UK, HE Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, QREC Chairman, Hamad bin Abdulrahman Al Attiya, President of the Asian Equestrian Federation and QREC Vice Chairman, Bader bin Mohammed Al Darwish, Acting CEO of QREC, Khalifa bin Mohammed Al Attiya, QREC Board Member, Ahmed bin Mohammed Alabdulmalik, QREC Board Member, Abdulla bin Rashid Al Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, Ahmed Al Sheebani QREC Director of Support Services and Salem Khejaim Al Adbi, QREC Director of Public Relations & External Communications and Marketing.
Friday, the Day 4 of the Qatar Goodwood Festival will see several thrilling races on the card.
There are seven races on the card today, and the feature will be the Gr.2 King George Qatar Stakes.
13 runners were declared to run, including the Listed winner Rogue Lightning, owned by Wathnan Racing; Group 1 winner in Santa Anita (US) Big Evs, presented by Michael Appleby; recent Group 2 winner Believing, who will run in the colours of Highclere T’Bred Racing; as well as Jasour, winner of the Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes Gr.3 at Royal Ascot.
The Festival, sponsored by Qatar, is being held for the tenth consecutive year. In addition, Qatar Tourism, represented by Visit Qatar, announced the renewal of the multi-year partnership with Goodwood Racecourse with effect from 2025.
The partnership comes in continuation of the successful collaboration with Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) over 10 years since 2015 with the inaugural edition of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.