Lady Bowthorpe lands Qatar Nassau Stakes

Tribune News Network Goodwood (UK) In presence of His Excellency Yousef bin Ali Al Khater, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Kingdom, the eve...

Tribune News NetworkGoodwood (UK) In presence of His Excellency Yousef bin Ali Al Khater, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Kingdom, the events of the 2021 renewal of the Qatar Goodwood Festival continued on Thursday. The echoes of the events of the opening day and the second day have been very high given their outstanding success in terms of both organisation and top-quality racing as well as the large-scale participation of many stars, especially with the return of things to normal and the increase in the racegoer turnout to attend the Festival’s races. The Qatari success on the second day have added to resounding success with Khalifa bin Sheail Al Kuwari’s Lady Princess landing the Gr1 PA Qatar International Stakes and Al Shaqab Racing’s ARMOR taking the Gr3 Markel Molecomb Stakes. The small-sized but mighty five-year-old mare added a fourth Gr1 PA victory to her tally and kept the coveted title for Qatar for the third year in a row, cementing Qatar’s standing as the world’s leader in Arabian racing. The two-year-old Armor, on the other hand, made a grand entry to the racing world as a hero in the making with two victories in his record in only three starts. The fact that he won a Group 3 in just his start attempt tells stories. Lady Bowthorpe much the best in Nassau The third day of the annual five-day Festival had a sevenb-race card, featuring the Gr1 Qatar Nassau Stakes for three-year-old and older fillies and mares over 2,000 metres. It was Lady Bowthorpe (Nathaniel x Maglietta Fina) who landed top honours in the colours of Emma Banks for trainer William Jarvis and jockey Kieran Shoemark. HE Yousef bin Ali Al Khater, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Kingdom, presented the trophies to the winners after the race. Trying 2,000m for the first time in her career, five-year-old mare Lady Bowthorpe stayed on strongly to win the Group One Qatar Nassau Stakes and claim a first Group One success.Although there were only six runners, Prix de Diane winner Joan Of Arc (Galileo) set some quick fractions through the early stages, which allowed Lady Bowthorpe to settle well in mid-division. As the pace slowed on the turn for home, the field stacked up but it was apparent that Lady Bowthorpe was travelling well. Asked for an effort at the two furlong pole, Lady Bowthorpe made slick headway down the outside of the field, following the move of the eventual second Zeyaadah(Tamayuz). Lady Bowthorpe proved much the stronger inside the final furlong and went clear of Zeyaadah to score by a length and a half. Joan Of Arc rallied well close home and took third. Winning trainer William Jarvis, who has not had a group one winner since 1994 said after the race: “It’s fantastic! We have dreamt of this race with her for a long time now. She has always shown to be a very special mare and we think the world of her. I am delighted for the team at home, it means so much to them and to her jockey Kieran. I was very confident that she would stay the trip and she did it well. She has a great turn of foot and settles very well in her races. She is just a superstar, we love her.”Bred by Scuderia Archi Romani, Lady Bowthorpe is a daughter of King George winner Nathaniel(Galileo), who stands at Newsells Park Stud. Her dam, Maglietta Fina(Verglas) is a winner of five races and has also produced Group Two winner/Group One placed Speak In Colours(Excelebration) and also the listed placed Pretty In Grey(Brazen Beau) Asymmetric wins Unibet Richmond Stakes; Gubbass, and Ebro River gallant rivalsEarlier in the day, Al Shaqab Racing’s Ebro River (IRE) (Galileo Gold x Soft Power) and Jassim bin Ali Al Attiyah’s Gubbass (Mehmas x Vida Amorosa) were in the fray in the second race in the card, the Group 2 Unibet Richmond Stakes for two-year-old Colts and Geldings over 1,200 metres. They did very well and a certain stage, the race seemed a contest between them. However, in the final stages the Leora Judah-owned Asymmetric (Showcasing x Swirral Edge), under signals from his jockey Martin Harley, came from behind to take the lead and win by half a length for trainer Alan King. Khunan (Twilight Son (x Hilary J) was just after him in second. The Richard Hannon-trained and Sean Levey-ridden Gubbass and the Hugo Palmer-trained and James Doyle-ridden Ebro River stayed on strongly to finish third by only a nose and fourth by just a neck respectively. The events of the Qatar Goodwood Festival continue on Friday, the fourth and penultimate day of the Festival with a seven-race card day. The feature and fourth race is the Gr2 King George Qatar Stakes, a 1,000 sprint for three-year-olds and older. It will start at 5:35 pm Doha time. 35 minutes earlier, Al Shaqab Racing’s Qaysar will run in the Unibet Golden Mile Handicap, a class 2 mile for three-year-olds and older.