The Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood was billed as a match between the three year old filly many were claiming to be the best of her sex in Europe, Blue Rose Cen, and last year’s winner Nashwa, fresh from her Group 1 success in the Falmouth Stakes last month.
It didn’t turn out as planned for either of those fillies and it was a filly who had already beaten Nashwa this season but who’d been slightly overlooked here who took the spoils.
Al Husn started at 9/1 in the 6 runner field and there will be plenty looking at those odds given her earlier defeat of Nashwa and her recent record (she’d won 6 of her last 7 starts) who will be wondering just how she went off at such a big price.
In the race Joseph O’Brien’s Above The Curve made the pace with Blue Rose Cen and Al Husn tracking her. Hollie Doyle held Nashwa up at the back of the field.
As they entered the straight they reached a decisive point when, at the cutaway on the rail, Blue Rose Cen tried to get the inside rail but Ryan Moore on Above The Curve closed the gap and with Jim Crowley following Moore’s move and tracking Al Husn over it left Blue Rose Cen with nowhere to go.
The last two furlongs saw the game Above The Curve valiantly try to hold off Al Husn but it was Jim Crowley’s mount who got the better of things to win by half a length with Nashwa, who finished best but couldn’t quite get there, back in third. Blue Rose Cen looked a somewhat unlucky loser in fourth, the gaps never came for her in time to mount a challenge and jockey Aurelien Lemaitre, having his first ride on this tricky track, will no doubt be replaying the video a few times and wondering where it went wrong.
Winning trainer Roger Varian was understated in victory. “The truth is, none of us knew how good she was,” he said. “She’s one of those who beats what’s in front of her and she’s never flashy. She’s got an admirable attitude, she’s tough. We were impressed with Nashwa when she won at Newmarket so we thought Al Husn would be hard to beat. It’s special for us. We went close a couple of years ago in the same colours with Zeyaadah, who finished second, so it’s nice to go one better today.”
Future plans for Al Husna are fluid with a variety of options, potentially culminating in a Breeders Cup bid.