Goodwood made glorious by The Fugue
Saturday 4 August 2012
Nassau Stakes replay and result:
1 The Fugue (R Hughes) 11-4
2 Timepiece (T Queally) 16-1
3 Was (R L Moore) 11-2
The Fugue was produced with a perfectly-timed run by Richard Hughes to take top honours in the Markel Insurance Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
The three-year-old was the lesser fancied of two runners for John Gosden, with Izzi Top the 7-4 favourite and the choice of stable jockey William Buick.
The latter appeared to be travelling nicely towards the lead a couple of furlongs down, but she was unable to quicken as well as her stable companion, who ran out a decisive winner.
The front-running Timepiece was a length away in second, with Oaks winner Was in third.
Izzi Top was ultimately well beaten.
It was a first victory for The Fugue since her success in the Musidora Stakes at York in May.
The daughter of Dansili has since finished a luckless third in the Oaks at Epsom before chasing home Princess Highway in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Hughes said: "That's what you call a good spare ride.
"She's a beautiful filly and she floats across the ground.
"The more I pulled her back, the more she wanted to go - she was like an elastic band ready to quicken.
"The ones I had to beat were no more than three lengths in front of me, so I didn't have to worry.
"I feel sorry for William (Buick) as it's very hard to choose between these fillies, but she was very good today."
Connections of Timepiece were thrilled by her brave performance from the front.
Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, said: "She ran a really good race.
"I thought for a moment she might have stolen it, but she's just been turned over at the end.
"She's actually been improving all season and she'll have options in France and here until the end of the season."
Trainer Aidan O'Brien was similarly happy with the third-placed Was.
He said: "She ran a very good race and the Yorkshire Oaks could be an option."
It was a sixth Group One winner in a magnificent season for Gosden.
The Clarehaven trainer said: "If anyone deserved to win a Group One race, it was her.
"There is no point talking about the Oaks any more, but it was a pretty horrific affair.
"Andrew and Madeleine Lloyd Webber (owners) were keen to come here.
"I walked the track and gave them a call and we decided we should run.
"She got stuck in the ground at Royal Ascot, but she showed her class - I thought Richard gave her a typically chilly ride.
"She's got very small ballerina feet and she's a beautiful mover.
"She's as smooth as silk and Richard enjoyed riding her.
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