It’s been a big year in Europe for Triple Crown winning sire Justify with his Epsom Derby winning superstar City of Troy and his high class filly Opera Singer found her turn to shine in the Group I Nassau Stakes (1m2f) at Goodwood on Thursday.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, Opera Singer closed out her juvenile season with a Group I victory in France and was placed at her first two runs back this year in the Group I Irish 1000 Guineas and Royal Ascot Coronation Stakes.
Stepping up in distance for the first time from a mile, Opera Singer was ridden a positive race and skipped clear of her rivals holding the challengers at bay to win by a neck over See the Fire with this year’s Group I winning fillies Sparkling Plenty and Elmalka in third and fourth.
“She's a very special filly. Ryan gave her a fantastic ride and was very confident about her. We've always thought about the Arc for her. She had an interrupted spring but stayed ten furlongs well here and there's every chance she will stay a mile and a half. She's very classy,” said Aidan O'Brien.
Opera Singer runs for the Coolmore partners and is a half-sister to a pair of Group I winning fillies by War Front in Brave Anna (Newmaret Cheveley Park Stakes) and Hit it a Bomb (Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf).
The Champion European 2YO Filly last year, Opera Singer has the overall record of four wins from eight starts and is the eighth winner from 10 foals to race from Group III winning Sadler’s Wells mare Liscanna.
Her sire Justify will not be returning to Coolmore Australia this spring, but will have a cracking crop of foals born here having covered 188 mares last year at a fee of $77,000.
The Group III Gordon Stakes (1m4f) was won by Galileo three year-old Jan Brueghel with the Australian Bloodstock colours carried by third place-getter Sayedaty Sadaty, who is headed for Australia with spring aspirations after his last start fifth in the Epsom Derby and then this encouraging effort.
Another Coolmore partners homebred trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, Jan Brueghel pulled out plenty under pressure and has now had three starts for three wins with this neck victory earning him a crack at the Group I St Leger.
“There's no doubt there's class in there," said Aidan O’Brien.
"He's going to improve a lot with time and distance. He didn't run and we didn't do anything with him last year, and you can really see it now.
"It was a bit of a crash course to come here. He had a lot to learn in a short space of time, it was only his third run, and I wouldn't have thought there was time to go somewhere else between now and Doncaster.
"He was a lot heavier today than before his last run, which is unusual, and we haven't stopped working him, so that usually means he's maturing a lot."
Jan Brueghel is a full brother to Group I Irish Derby winner Sovereign and is the second stakes-winner among eight winners from Group II placed Danehill Dancer mare Devoted to You.
