Opera Singer crushed her rivals so comprehensively in last October’s G1 Prix Marcel Boussac (1600m) at ParisLongchamp – becoming Europe’s champion two-year-old filly in the process – that it remains hard to believe that ten months later the brilliant daughter of Justify is still looking for her next visit to a winners’ circle.
Aidan O’Brien’s Opera Singer is hoping to make her way into the winners’ circle at Glorious Goodwood today (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
But a setback held up the schedule of this high-status filly and this is just her third start since that glory day in Paris.
Her trainer Aidan O’Brien – even last Autumn – was insisting that the rise to a trip like the one she gets in today’s Gr1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood will see her real ability shine through.
Her close second to Porta Fortuna in the Gr1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot gave a sense of her quality, enhanced by her conqueror’s subsequent total mastery of six rivals in this month’s Gr1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.
O’Brien who has already made a 2024 Gr1 ‘Glorious’ Goodwood strike – when superb stayer Kyprios won Tuesday’s Goodwood Cup – says: “Opera Singer has come forward as we hoped she would, and she goes up to a distance that will be lovely for her.”
Opera Singer (Ryan Moore) is having her first experience of Goodwood – where fast ground is expected – as is the much more experienced five-year-old Emily Upjohn – her main rival according to ratings.
The John and Thady Gosden-trained mare looked certain to gain her third Group 1 victory when kicked clear by today’s rider, Kieran Shoemark, midway up the straight in last month’s Gr1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh only to be nailed by Bluestocking late on.
Close connections will no doubt spend time debating tactics for Emily Upjohn as John Gosden has said more than once that 2400m is a better trip for this hardened mare than this 2000m. But canny tactics at Goodwood’s unique track have famously and frequently made the difference between victory and defeat.
Fellow Newmarket trainer Roger Varian won this last year with Al Husn and there must be possibilities that the stable can repeat the trick with Elmalka, surprise Classic winner of the Gr1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in May. Varian believes that this rise in distance will assist her upward progress.
And following the memorable long odds success of Goliath in last Saturday’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot there will surely be additional interest in French raider Sparkling Plenty, trained by Patrice Cottier and the mount of Cristian Demuro. She has raised her game massively on her last two starts latterly with her fast and wide charge to grab Classic glory in June’s Gr1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly.
Of other interest on the eight-race Goodwood card – which concludes with a 20-runner field for the HKJC World Pool Handicap – are winning possibilities for Vincent Ho. In the first race, a 1984m handicap, he partners Brioni and in race five – a 1408m handicap for two-year-olds – Ho will be aboard Veydari whose trainer Richard Fahey has winning history in this race.
Goodwood first is due off at 14h50.
