The Group I Prix de Diane (2100m) at Chantilly on Sunday produced a popular win for talented Frankel filly Nashwa, who gave her rider Hollie Doyle her first success in a Classic race.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Nashwa won a Listed race at Newbury in May and was then a good third in the Group I Epsom Oaks.
She produced a career best performance at Chantilly, fighting all the way to the line to hold off fast finishing La Parisenne to win by a short neck.
Hollie Doyle has ridden the filly in each of her five starts for three wins and two placings.
“Nashwa had a hard race in the Oaks because she was running beyond her distance. That made it harder to come back as the last 50 yards in the Oaks was hard, but she's shown a great mental attitude,” said John Gosden.
“The race was not as we planned; it was never the plan to be front rank, but I said to Hollie that if she was in front not to pull back because you've the whole bend to settle. It was a great performance to come back after 16 days.”
A homebred for Imad Al Sagar’s Blue Diamond Stud Farm, Nashwa is the best of two winners from her stakes-winning dam Princess Loulou, who is by champion sire Pivotal.
She becomes the 22nd Group I winner for Frankel and is bred on a highly success nick being from a daughter of Pivotal.
The Frankel x Pivotal cross has produced seven stakes-winners from 25 runners, so 28% SW to runner and five of those SW’s are Group I winners including Cracksman and Hungry Heart.
