'She pretty well handles anything' - favourite Nashwa has John Gosden excited

Saturday: 5.50 Keeneland
Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1) | 1m1½f | 3yo+ | ITV4/Sky/RTV

The distance for the Filly & Mare Turf has fluctuated every year since 2015 and we are back to 1m1½f after Loves Only You’s victory for Japan over 1m3f at Del Mar last season.

This shorter trip will place a greater emphasis on speed and represents a sharper test than key British and Irish challengers Nashwa, Above The Curve and Tuesday have faced in recent times.

Those fillies fill three of the first four positions in the market and have been drawn well in stalls three, four and five.

More good news for the away team is the going at Keeneland. The surface will be more akin to a good-ground European race, rather than the firm turf which typically frequents this meeting at other US tracks.

Short-priced favourite Nashwa (stall three), Above The Curve (four) and Tuesday (five) met in the Prix de l'Opera on very soft ground last time, and that looks the key formline.

Two lengths separated them, although Nashwa and Tuesday deserve marking up having squandered plenty of early ground from their wide draws at Longchamp.

Above The Curve leading her stablemate Basil Martini this weekCredit: Edward Whitaker

One or two eyebrows were raised in Paris when Ryan Moore opted to ride Above The Curve over Tuesday, and the fact he has switched back to the versatile Classic winner looks significant.

She could be the each-way value in the race, but a mention must also be given to Mise En Scene for James Ferguson.

The complete outsider of the field, Mise En Scene has been raced sparingly this season, but conditions look perfect and she could be coming nicely to the boil.

Mise En Scene ran with some credit in the Juvenile Fillies' Turf last term and could give Cieren Fallon a nice spin from stall six in first-time cheekpieces.

The only US challenger priced at single figures is double Group 1 winner In Italian, but she is unraced on ground slower than firm and must prove her suitability to this contrasting surface. The remaining runners from the home team have something to find.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Nashwa 'looks great in her coat'

John Gosden is much more familiar with the US racing scene than Hollie Doyle, and although he has not won this race, that could easily change with Nashwa.

She was a history maker in June's Prix de Diane for Doyle, who became the first female rider to win a major European Classic, before the pair teamed up for Nassau glory at Glorious Goodwood.

Hollie Doyle putting Nashwa through her paces at KeenelandCredit: Edward Whitaker

They were narrowly denied in the Prix de l'Opera last time and Gosden, who trains the Frankel filly with son Thady, said: "She ran a brilliant race from a horrible draw in the Opera. She and Tuesday were stuck out in 13 and 16 and you have to use them, but she ran an absolute blinder."

Gosden, whose career started in California, added: "She's in good form here and she looks great in her coat. I loved the way she went out, looking playful, she's taken to the pony very quickly – a lot of the fillies like that. You need luck in running but she'll handle the ground and pretty well handles anything."

What they say

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Above The Curve
She ran well around Chester earlier in the year, so hopefully that experience will stand to her. It looks hot but she's a good filly and hopefully she's in the mix on the pick of her form. She's got a good draw in four.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Tuesday and Toy
Tuesday is very well and has a nice draw in five. She'd a bad draw last time in France, on bad ground, and probably the two things weren't ideal. It's better here and her work has been very good since she ran last. Toy was just ready to start back when she won a Listed race at Naas over a mile. We were very happy with her and we think she's making good progress. The trip and the track should be fine for her.

James Ferguson, trainer of Mise En Scene
Things didn't quite go right early in the season, but we gave her a break and we've got her back. From her work, she's in the form of her life. I always thought she was a class filly. I don't think she'll be too far away. She's travelled over fantastically well, a lot better than I expected. She came over last year as a two-year-old and that's contributed. It looks hot. We're an outsider, but I don't think she'll run like an outsider. You'd like a bit of juice in the ground but, it's one of the fairest American tracks in terms of size and length of straight.
Reporting by James Burn

Saturday's Breeders' Cup previews:

4.29 Keeneland: 'She must have every chance' - can Highfield Princess see off Golden Pal and co?

7.10 Keeneland: 'A worthy favourite' - Charlie Appleby bullish as Modern Games returns to the US

8.40: Can Appleby make it two in a row and continue European domination in the Turf?

9.40 Keeneland: Breeders' Cup Classic: can Flightline confirm himself as best since Secretariat?

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