Nassau emerges as potential aim for Estrange

Estrange could stick at a mile and a quarter for the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood following her Group One breakthrough in Ireland over the weekend.

David O’Meara’s grey won at Group Three and Group Two level last season and filled the runner-up spot in Group One company twice, chasing home Minnie Hauk in the Yorkshire Oaks and finding only Kalpana too strong on Champions Day at Ascot.

Cheveley Park Stud decided to keep Estrange in training as a five-year-old in the hope of adding a top-level victory to her CV and having made a successful reappearance at Carlisle, she thrilled the team by running out a good winner of Saturday’s Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.

“She’s lightly-raced and we kept her in training to hopefully land the Group One, which is easier said than done. We were absolutely delighted she went there and won in such good style on Saturday,” said Cheveley Park director Richard Thompson.

“David felt she definitely looked stronger this year and she looks a picture, not just because of her colour, she looked fantastic on Saturday and in great shape.

“We were hoping for a big run, but with the 10 furlongs and them not getting the rain, we were hopeful rather than over-confident.

“She obviously had to give a lot of weight to the Oaks winner (Thundering On) and if she’d finished second or third you’d have said it was a decent performance, so for her to win like that over 10 furlongs and on that ground, it was one of the great days for Cheveley in recent times.”

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was identified as a “dream” target for Estrange last season before a minor setback scuppered her participation at the eleventh hour, and connections would love to end up at ParisLongchamp on the first Sunday in October.

However, given she has now proven herself fully effective back over a shorter trip, a range of options will be considered.

Thompson added: “I think with the fact that she’s won over 10 furlongs on the ground she’s won on, it’s given us a whole new set of problems – good problems!

“It’s opened up the game in terms of races she could run in and while of course it would be a dream to run in the Arc with a horse that could be competitive, we’ll have to look at the options and see what’s best for her.

“She’ll probably run another two or three times, so we’ve got to see what David thinks and what Chris (Richardson, Cheveley Park managing director) thinks regarding what her programme should be.

“I think the immediate reaction was to look at the Nassau Stakes, but of course she ran in the Yorkshire Oaks last year and finished second to Minnie Hauk. She ran well that day but was obviously well beaten and that was on quick ground as well of course.

“From our perspective, having won that Group One on Saturday, we’ve got a couple of free hits. She’s won her Group One and they’re not easy to come by, so let’s see where she goes next.

“Goodwood is probably the favourite at the moment, but it’s down to what the team thinks.”