Nashwa bounces back to top form in Falmouth victory

Following two subpar performances to begin her 4-year-old campaign, the filly Nashwa bounced back in a big way winning the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes on Friday at Newmarket in England.

Coming strongly between horses under Hollie Doyle with a furlong and a half to run in the one mile straight-course contest, Nashwa drew powerfully clear to post a five-length win over the the capable 3-year-old filly Remarquee, who got nine pounds from the winner. Heavily favored Via Sistina was no match for Nashwa while finishing third.

The Newmarket course began the day rated good-to-firm, but heavy rain, through which the Falmouth was run, softened the course after Friday’s first race. Nashwa acts on just about any type of going, and ground moving to the soft side of good did nothing to dampen her return to form.

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Cut back to one mile after odds-on losses going 1 5/16 miles in France and over 1 1/4 miles on the all-weather surface at Newcastle, Nashwa showed she’s the same filly who won the French Oaks and the Group 1 Nassau last summer.

Co-trained by John and Thady Gosden, Nashwa is a daughter of Frankel and Princess Loulou, by Pivotal. John Gosden said a repeat bid in the 1 1/4-mile Nassau is the immediate goal but didn’t rule out another one-mile start later this year in a race like the Queen Elizabeth II in October at Ascot.

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