John Gosden has another strong hand in Nassau Stakes

John Gosden has dominated the Qatar Nassau Stakes in recent seasons and is responsible for more than a fifth of the entries for this year’s contest.

The champion trainer has landed the QIPCO British Champions Series prize with The Fugue (2012), Winsili (2013) and Sultanina (2014) in the past four years and is responsible for eight of the 37 entered in this year’s renewal on July 30.

His possible contenders include Furia Cruzada, a multiple Grade One winner in South America who was runner-up to Usherette in the Group Two Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last week, plus Journey, Jazzi Top and Nathra who have been placed at Group One level. Another possible Gosden representative is Persuasive, victorious in the Listed Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot.

Staged over just short of ten furlongs, the £600,000 Qatar Nassau Stakes is Europe’s richest race for fillies and mares.

A plethora of Group One winners feature, headed by Minding, who has already achieved two QIPCO British Champions Series triumphs this year – the QIPCO 1000 Guineas and Investec Oaks.

She is one of 12 entries for Aidan O’Brien, who also has such as Found, Even Song and Ballydoyle engaged.

Two entries hail from France, both owned by Al Shaqab Racing and trained by the in-form Jean Claude Rouget. They are Qemah, successful in the mile Group One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 17, and Jemayel, who took the ten-furlong Group One Prix Saint-Alary at Deauville in May before suffering trouble in running when ninth in the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) at Chantilly last Sunday.

Harry Herbert, racing manager for Al Shaqab Racing, said: “Qemah has come out of Royal Ascot very well.

“There have been no plans as yet about where she will run next. I suspect Jean Claude will keep her to a mile but she is in the Qatar Nassau Stakes just so we have options. A race like the Falmouth might be more likely if it does not come too soon.

“I think Jemayel would have been closer in the Prix de Diane as it was a rough race. The start did not go to plan really and then she was quite badly squeezed just as she was making a nice move. It was a satisfactory run under the circumstances.

“She may just be off the very top level but she is a Group One winner and there are not too many options for her. I would guess that she is quite a likely runner at Goodwood.”