'A great spectacle' in store with Opera Singer and Emily Upjohn among host of Group 1 winners duelling in open Nassau Stakes

Emily Upjohn has another opportunity to secure her third Group 1 in the Qatar Nassau Stakes after coming agonisingly close at the Curragh last time.

The five-year-old, winner of the 2023 Coronation Cup, bounced back from two disappointing runs over a mile and a half this season to finish half a length behind Bluestocking in the Pretty Polly Stakes.

That performance over the shorter trip of a mile and two furlongs encouraged connections to supplement her for the Nassau, which trainers John and Thady Gosden landed with Nashwa two years ago.

"It should be a great spectacle, which is the main thing – we're enthusiastic amateurs," said Jon Shack, who owns Emily Upjohn under his Tactful Finance banner alongside Lord and Lady Lloyd-Webber and Scott Roden.

"It didn't help that the heavens opened at the Curragh and the ground became softer but there should be no excuses on Thursday. We saw Bluestocking uphold the form in the King George so we know it's high-class form."

Opera Singer 'just bumped into a very good filly' last time

The long-time ante-post favourite Opera Singer bids to get off the mark for the first time this season after finishing second at Royal Ascot in June.

She ended her juvenile campaign with a Group 1 success at Longchamp before finishing third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on her first start this year.

Opera Singer (left): chased home Porta Fortuna at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The Aidan O'Brien-trained three-year-old, who will receive weight from Emily Upjohn stepping up in trip from a mile, then chased home Porta Fortuna in a high-quality running of the Coronation Stakes.

"It was the plan all season to step her up to a mile and a quarter in the Nassau after she ran at Ascot," said O'Brien. "She ran very well in the Coronation and just bumped into a very good filly.

"We're looking forward to seeing how she gets on over this trip and everything has gone well in the last few weeks with her."

Elmalka 'will be suited by the tempo'

Trainer Roger Varian believes we have not yet seen the best of Classic winner Elmalka after she could manage only fourth in the Coronation Stakes.

The daughter of Kingman upset the odds with a last-gasp success in the 1,000 Guineas at 28-1 but failed to follow it up at Royal Ascot next time.

That performance has encouraged Varian to step her up in trip, which he believes could bring about further improvement on her fifth start.

Elmalka (second right): winner of the 1,000 Guineas at NewmarketCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

He said: "She ran very well in the Coronation and she was only three and three-quarter lengths behind the winner in a strong race. I thought she was a bit tardy away from the gates from a wide draw, so she probably lacked a bit of track position. It was quite a tactical race and a very different set up to the Guineas.

"They went very hard at Newmarket and she looked like she needed every inch to get on top that day. It told us ten furlongs was definitely worth a go and she'll be suited by the tempo of that distance.

"I don't think we've seen the best of her yet. She's only had four starts and she's still improving. In the back of my mind she might be better with a little bit of give in the ground, so I hope conditions aren't too fast come Thursday. She's in great form and I'm excited about running her again."

What they say

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Doha and Lady Boba
Doha is stepping up in trip and grade. She's a strong-travelling filly and I think she'll enjoy the track. Lady Boba is dropping back from a mile and a half but she too travels well and is a stakes winner over a mile and two furlongs, so this should suit her.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Lumiere Rock
It looks a very competitive Nassau but she's had a good preparation and she's a Group 2 winner so she has to ply most of her trade in Group 1s.

Gary Moore, joint-trainer of Novus
I just hope we get the rain that’s supposed to be coming. The ground is okay and it’s safe enough, but it’s not soft enough for her. As long as we get what they say we are going to get, she’ll run and that’ll give her some sort of a chance. She improves at Goodwood, but the company she is running against is a big jump up. I just feel like if she's going to nick a bit of black type somewhere, it would be here.

Hughie Morrison, trainer of Stay Alert
Experience shows she's more of a soft, loose-ground horse. She has to have a secure surface but what we don't really know is whether she'll let herself down on the ground if it becomes really firm. Ideally there will be a nice bit of rain overnight and it will be lovely genuine ground but I'm not convinced we'll get that. On her day she's a very good horse and like all these fillies' races, quite often they don't all turn up. She's won a Group 2 and we've got to go for it.

Oisin Murphy, jockey of See The Fire
She didn't run too badly in the Eclipse last time and she's going up against her own sex now. We've always had a high opinion of her as she's very well bred so hopefully we'll still see her in a better light. She's a good moving filly so the ground should be fine.

Rupert Pritchard-Gordon, representative in France for Al Shaqab Racing, joint-owner of Sparkling Plenty
The secret will be for her to find a nice rhythm so she can use that turn of foot that we know that she’s got. Cristian [Demuro] knows her well and I think he's got quite a lot of confidence in her. But we’re aware that this is a real away day. She’s very well balanced and although she’s not the biggest, she’s got plenty of depth and Patrice [Cottier, trainer] feels she’s strengthened since the Diane.
Reporting by Jonathan Harding

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