Al Husn wins Group 1 debut in Nassau upset
?q=100)
Al Husn aced her Group 1 debut winning the Nassau Stakes on Thursday at Goodwood Racecourse in England.
Al Husn pushed pace past pacesetting Above the Curve to capture the 1 1/4-mile Nassau by a half-length after stalking the pace under Jim Crowley. It was another half-length back in third to the race’s second choice and the 2022 Nassau winner, Nashwa, who loomed boldly without being asked by Hollie Doyle a quarter-mile out but failed to produce the required acceleration once she was set down.
In fourth was odds-on favorite Blue Rose Cen, who got eight pounds as a 3-year-old facing older fillies and mares. Making her first start outside France, where she won the Guineas and the Oaks earlier this year, Blue Rose Cen was trapped on the rail behind Above the Curve for much of the long homestretch but didn’t have a kick when she found room in the final half-furlong.
In fairness, it was hard to pick up steam on a soft, laboring course; it took Al Husn 2:13.37 to cover the 10 furlongs. She paid $18.80 as the co-third choice in North American wagering pools.
Trained by Roger Varian for her breeder, Shadwell Estate Limited, Al Husn came into the Nassau with six wins and a second from her last seven starts, one of the victories at Nashwa’s expense on the all-weather surface at Newcastle on June 30. Beaten six lengths when second to high-class Via Sistina over soft ground this past spring in the Group 2 Dahlia, Al Husn was ready for her first try at the top level, showing grit and determination.
Four-year-old Al Husan is by Dubawi out of Hadaatha, by Sea The Stars. Connections left open her near-term racing agenda but did mention the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf as a late-season possibility.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.