'The Prix Corrida is first choice' - Saint-Cloud preferred to Sandown for top Gosdens' filly Nashwa

Star filly Nashwa, winner of the Group 1 Prix de Diane and the Nassau Stakes last season, will start her four-year-old career in the Group 2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud on Sunday week.

As well as her two wins at the highest level, Nashwa finished third in the Oaks at Epsom, a narrow second in the Prix de l'Opera on Arc day and fourth at the Breeders' Cup last year, and could test her mettle against the opposite sex at the highest level this season.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Nashwa holds an entry alongside Derby hero Desert Crown in Thursday's Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown but the Prix Corrida is first choice.

"She's intended to go to France next Sunday," said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Nashwa's owner-breeder Imad Al Sagar. "The Brigadier Gerard entry was mainly just a precaution in case she couldn't get to France for any reason and the Prix Corrida is first choice."

Hollie Doyle: rode Nashwa in work on SaturdayCredit: Mike Egerton

Run over 1m2½f, the Prix Corrida is open to fillies and mares aged four and above and allows Nashwa to run without a penalty for her Group 1 triumphs last season. Should she make a pleasing comeback, Royal Ascot could well be the next destination.

"She worked well under Hollie Doyle on Saturday morning on the Limekilns and everyone seemed really happy. She's coming on nicely," said Grimthorpe. "The decision to keep older horses in training comes down to soundness, opportunities and, most importantly, what the owner wants to do, and she ticked all three boxes."

Although top-level races such as the Prix Jean Romanet and Nassau against her own sex will come under consideration this season, a clash against the best older middle-distance colts in Europe in the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes appears high on her agenda.

Grimthorpe added: "We have to see how she goes in France at the weekend but, if she looks good there, we'd have to think about Royal Ascot and the Prince of Wales's. There's a nice programme for older fillies too and she'll have plenty of opportunities this season."

Read more:

Hollie Doyle hails 'horse of a lifetime' Nashwa after awesome Nassau win 

'It was horrendous' - how a spell of husband-and-wife rehab didn't work out as planned for Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle 

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