By Tom Frary
Nurlan Bizakov's significant investment in bloodstock received one of its biggest paybacks on Wednesday as Nausha (GB) (Kingman {GB}) battled to success in York's G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. Sent off at 14-1 having finished an uninspiring fourth in a mile conditions race on Kempton's Polytrack Apr. 20, the Hesmonds Stud homebred was free early in the hands of Andrea Atzeni anchored in rear. Arriving wide on the track to lead with 150 yards remaining, she held the dead-heating pair of Entitle (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Frankellina (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in a three-way tussle by a neck. “I was sure she'd stay and in hindsight I probably chose the wrong race for her, but we had it in mind to make her a Guineas filly at the time,” trainer Roger Varian said. “At Kempton, she didn't really handle things that day and hadn't really come to herself. She had won over a mile on debut on good-to-soft at Newbury, stretching clear at the line, so I was sure she'd get a mile and a quarter. Whether she gets a mile and a half I'm not so sure. I'm really delighted for the owner, he's such an enthusiast and has been so patient with these fillies. She'll probably be left in the [May 31 G1 Epsom Oaks] and we'll consider all options, including the [G1 Prix de] Diane [at Chantilly June 16].”
Nausha would not be the first and will not be the last to head to the “French Oaks” after this trial, with jockey Andrea Atzeni's remarks in the aftermath suggesting she could head to Chantilly instead of Epsom. “She's not short of speed and the main thing was the trip today,” he said. “I didn't know much about her before today, but Roger said to make sure she relaxes. She was a little bit keen for the first 200yards, but when she settled she travelled beautifully and hit the line strong. We thought she was pretty special, but the main thing was to find out what she was.”
With TDN Rising Star and 7-4 favourite Sparkle Roll (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) disappointing in seventh, it was left to Enable's half-sister Entitle to fly the flag for the John Gosden stable and she appeared to stumble in the straight before rallying and fighting out the finish with Anthony Oppenheimer's slow-starting Frankellina. In a renewal where the first six were separated by just 3 3/4 lengths, the main boosts seemed to be provided to fillies that were not in the line-up. The long-time leader I'll Have Another (Ire) (Dragon Pulse {Ire}) was too close for comfort given that she had been beaten nine lengths by Shadwell's exciting Maqsad (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the Listed Pretty Polly S., while the fourth-placed Fresnel (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) gave Pink Dogwood (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) a fillip having been in the same position behind her in the Listed Salsabil S.
James Doyle said of Frankellina, “It was a nice run and I'm really pleased. It was her first run this season and she fluffed her lines at the start, but that probably helped her as she's been a little bit jazzy in her work at home. It helped her relax and she moved into it nicely before getting tired.” Frankie Dettori said of Entitle, “It was a good run. She's very green still and so it was a good effort.” Connections of the dead-heaters are not all set on the Epsom Oaks. John Gosden said of Entitle, “She was very green and on and off the bridle, but Frankie said she was learning all the time. I think she's a [June 20 G2] Ribblesdale filly, so that's where she'll go. She whacked herself and Frankie collected her for a bit before realising she was fine, but she caught herself and took a bad step. He thought she'd gone wrong for a few strides, but she hasn't. She ran a nice race.” Frankellina's owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer said, “She's certainly done enough to earn a place at Epsom, but there may be other places we could go so we couldn't possibly make a decision now. We've no idea what the ground would be like at Epsom or Royal Ascot, but she just ran out of puff which we thought she might. She'll be better next time out.”
Nausha's unraced dam Nazym (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was a 1.7million gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate for sound reason, as she is a half-sister to Ballydoyle's group 1-winning 2-year-olds Listen (Ire) and Sequoyah (Ire) by Galileo's sire Sadler's Wells. Listen, whose success came in the Fillies' Mile, went on to produce three stakes performers in Japan headed by the G2 Kansai Telecasting Corp Sho Rose S. winner and G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup third Touching Speech (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), while the Moyglare Stud S. heroine Sequoyah threw the multiple group 1-winning star miler and dual 2000 Guineas hero Henrythenavigator (Kingmambo) and his group-winning full-sister Queen Cleopatra (Ire) who was placed in the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas.
Queen Cleopatra produced two black-type winners and also Wave (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), who in turn was responsible for the G2 Mooresbridge S. winner and G1 Epsom Derby runner-up Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Other descendants of the second dam Brigid (Irish River {Fr}) include Magician (Ire), another son of Galileo who captured the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and GI Breeders' Cup Turf, the G3 Prix Imprudence winner and arguably unlucky G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Coeur De Beaute (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) and two more Galileos in the GIII Dowager S. winner Apple Betty (Ire) and GI Belmont Oaks Invitational third Outstanding (Ire). Also connected to another Irish 2000 Guineas hero in Saffron Walden (Fr) (Sadler's Wells), Nazym has a 2-year-old colt by Dark Angel (Ire) named Naizagai (GB) and a yearling colt by Fastnet Rock (Aus).
Wednesday, York, Britain
TATTERSALLS MUSIDORA S.-G3, £100,000, York, 5-15, 3yo, f, 10f 56yT, 2:10.50, g/f.
1–NAUSHA (GB), 126, f, 3, by Kingman (GB)">Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Nazym (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Brigid, by Irish River (Fr)
3rd Dam: Luv Luvin', by Raise a Native
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Hesmonds Stud Ltd (GB); T-Roger Varian; J-Andrea Atzeni. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $81,674. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
(DH)-2–Entitle (GB), 126, f, 3, Dansili (GB)–Concentric (GB), by Sadler's Wells. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-John Gosden. £16,130.
(DH)-2–Frankellina (GB), 126, f, 3, Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)–Our Obsession (Ire), by Shamardal. O-A E Oppenheimer; B-Hascombe & Valiant Studs (GB); T-William Haggas. £16,130.
Margins: NK, DHT, 1HF. Odds: 14.00, 12.00 & 2.75.
Also Ran: Fresnel (GB), Blue Gardenia (Ire), I'll Have Another (Ire), Sparkle Roll (Fr), Sand Share (GB), Swift Rose (Ire), Dubai Blue. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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