Diamond Necklace sparkled in the Goodwood sunshine to land the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes and could be poised to strut her stuff in Paris this autumn.
Aidan O’Brien’s filly extended her unbeaten career record to six with a routine two-and-three-quarter-length defeat of Friendly Soul under Ryan Moore, encouraging her handler to dream of a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October.
O’Brien said: ‘Diamond Necklace is a lovely filly who has danced every dance. This was up to a mile and a quarter against older fillies, so we did not really know what was going to happen, but we wanted to put on pace to find out.
‘She has options now, whether she stays at a mile and a quarter and goes to the fillies’ race in France, or to Leopardstown or an Arc trial. She is a great cruiser and progressing well.
Diamond Necklace pulls clear at Goodwood to win the Qatar Nassau Stakes
‘It is possible (the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe). I do not know how far we ask her to go, and it will depend on everything, but the next run will tell us where she is going to go after that.
Moore was equally enthusiastic about the daughter of St Mark’s Basilica: ‘That is the best Diamond Necklace has felt. She is improving with her racing.
‘I think 10 furlongs is probably her optimum, but with those classy horses, they do everything right, so there is a chance she would stay further.’
The combination recorded a double in the Markel Richmond Stakes when it proved more of a case of punters’ best friend than Man’s Best Friend with Moore steering the popular 11/2 chance to success in the Group 2 event.
The victory looked in doubt for much of the contest as the colt’s rider struggled to find a clear passage aboard the Ballydoyle-trained son of No Nay Never.
However, once in the clear the duo flew past the admirable Adaay Of Scarlett to score by a snug length and give his trainer a first win in the race since 2000.
If it’s not one O’Brien winning, it’s another and Aidan’s son Joseph got in on the action courtesy of the progressive Enceladus in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes.
The winner of Royal Ascot’s King George V Handicap took the step up to Group company in his stride, finding plenty for pressure from the furlong marker under Dylan Browne McMonagle to comfortably hold the challenge of Geryon by a length and a quarter.
Asked about stepping up in trip for the St Leger, Browne McMonagle said: ‘I am sure the distance will be no problem for him, but he is not short of gears either; he has plenty of gears for a mile and a half.
‘I think as he develops, it will be no problem going up in trip, which will open up options for him going forwards.’
Billy Loughnane, hero of day two for his exploits on Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes winner Bow Echo, came crashing back down to earth, quite literally, when his first-race ride Savvy Disco dramatically clipped heels at the furlong marker and came down.
Thankfully, both horse and jockey were absolutely fine and none the worse for the experience, so much so that Loughnane rose from the canvas to partner Avalon Queen to victory in the seven furlong maiden.
Over at Galway, Daniel King became the first jockey in 42 years to win both the Plate and the Hurdle when Putapoundinthejar followed hard on the heels of success for King Alexander 24 hours beforehand.
