00211913-215-scoopdygaDimanche 19 Juin 2022; Chantilly; PRIX DE DIANE LONGINES - Gr.1 Hollie Doyle (c) SCOOPDYGA - COSTABADIE PierreEurope

Nashwa strikes at Chantilly

The daughter of Frankel achieved her first Group 1 win in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly on Sunday 19th June, also giving jockey Hollie Doyle her first Classic win.

Taken from EBN, Monday 20th June 2022

Carrying the colours of owner Imad Al Sagar, whose Authorized (Montjeu) landed the Gr.1 Derby in 2007, Nashwa was scoring for the third time this season, having broken her maiden at Haydock in April before going on to take Listed honours at Newbury in May for the training partnership of John and Thady Gosden.
Becoming the first female to land the €1,000,000 Classic, Al Sagar’s retained jockey Hollie Doyle has been on board Nashwa in all five of her career starts, with yesterday’s success marking a first at Chantilly for the rider.
Sharply away from stall two, she was quickly to the fore of the 17-runner field and dictated the early fractions with the eventual fourth Agave (Dubawi), who is out of a half-sister to Enable. Setting only a steady pace through the opening half of the 2100m contest, Nashwa travelled well into the straight and was strongly challenged towards the outside by La Parisienne
(Zarak). Despite taking a moment to pick up, she proved tenacious inside the closing stages and went on to score by a short head from La Parisienne, with Rosacea (Soldier Hollow) a further four lengths back in third. Saddling his second winner of the race, following Star Of Seville’s success in 2015, trainer John Gosden said in his post-race interview: “Nashwa jumped extremely well, and I had told Hollie to try to be handy. She stayed one off the rail, because we didn’t want to be boxed in and it was great that Olivier Peslier [on Agave] was towards the inside. Olivier is hugely experienced and, along with Hollie, the pair were able to control the pace. At Chantilly you need to sit and wait about 125m at the top of the straight before going for it and I think that’s what won the race for us. It’s great for her owner Imad Al Sagar, who bred the filly and who came to me with a list of jockeys about three years ago looking to retain someone, and I suggested Hollie. I think we will take some time to freshen up Nashwa now after two races in 16 days. We are lucky to have a few extremely talented fillies this year and keeping them apart will be tough.”

Bred by her owner’s Blue Diamond Stud Farm, Nashwa is one of two winners out of the Listed winner and Gr.1-placed Princess Loulou (Pivotal), who was purchased by Al Sagar for 300,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2018. A daughter of Aiming (Highest Honour), Princess Loulou is a sister five winners, including the Listed-placed Easy Target (Danehill Dancer) and comes from the family of Listed winner and Gr.2-placed Watching (Indian Ridge).