A fascinating Nassau Stakes with two older horses taking on three from the classic generation over 1m2f.

Cercene at the Curragh for the Irish 1000 Guineas

The Gosden’s mare, a five-year-old, Running Loin, the mount of William Buick, is the outsider of the field. After yesterday’s shock, she can’t be ruled out. Her best day out was last year on soft ground in the G1 Prix de l’Opera when a ¾L second to stablemate, Friendly Soul.

Andrew Balding’s year younger, four-year-old Sea The Fire, who will have Oisin Murphy in the plate, has shown her best form on fast ground; she likes a quick surface. She blew apart the G2 Middleton winning 12L, then ran a blinder last time out, against the colts, Ombudsman and Anmaat, in the G1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes; she finished third.

The three-year-olds, who get a 9 lbs allowance, are all Irish, all from Fethard, a pair from Ballydoyle, Whirl and Bedtime Story, and also from the village, Joseph Murphy’s, Cercene.

They bring a high level of classic generation form to the table.

Bedtime Story will be partnered by Wayne Lordon, she was an explosive juvenile and latest, ran second in the G1 Prix De Diane over this trip. Cercene, with Gary Carroll aboard, having displayed her ability in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas when third, was a really good winner of the G1 Coronation Stakes. Whirl showed she was right up there, finishing second to Minnie Hawk in the G1 Epsom Oaks and winning the Pretty Polly from Kalpana, who showed how good that form was in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes last weekend.

The ground is good, quickening up, that’s against Running Loin but a plus for the others.

Sea The Fire, not far off the colts at Royal Ascot, sets the standard for the younger generation. After two really good runs, Whirl is their benchmark, following France, Bedtime Story could still explode, and Cercene, well, she could love the step-up trip.

Fascinating, let’s go with the improver, Sea The Fire, Whirl, Bedtime Story, Cercene, they’re all improving, the first three are all proven at the distance, the latter is stepping up in trip, she was a very gutsy winner at Royal Ascot, she could relish this, she’s overpriced at 8/1, she’s the choice.

Recommendation

Cercene 8/1 win