The Group I Nassau Stakes (1m2f) for fillies and mares was the highlight on the third day of Glorious Goodwood and very nearly didn’t happen at all given the ‘biblical’ rain and a flag start for the five runners that braved the treacherous conditions.
Wootton Bassett filly Whirl was first away and turned the race into a procession as she charged clear of Australian owned filly Cercene.
The Joe Murphy trained filly Cercene was one of the biggest stories from Royal Ascot when she downed the top fillies to win the Group I Coronation Stakes for Aussie owner Shane Stafford, read about her here.
Cercene was having her first run since Royal Ascot and ran a brave race for second, but was no match for the Aidan O’Brien trained Whirl and Ryan Moore.
Whirl has made rapid progress this year following a second in the Group I Epsom Oaks to Minnie Hauk with a win in the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes beating Kalpana, who was also second to Calandagan in the Group I King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes last month.
Her overall record reads five wins and a second from nine starts.
“I can't remember a Group 1 race starting without stalls. It was unbelievable and well done everybody getting it going. Whirl is an amazing filly. Ryan gave her a lovely ride and she handles all types of ground,” said Aidan O'Brien, who will look to keep Whirl and her stablemate Minnie Hauk on separate paths going forward.
"Minnie Hauk is going to York at the moment so this filly wouldn't go. Whirl is straightforward. Soft or heavy ground doesn't bother her. She could go to the Arc but she'll have so many options. She'll have a couple of easy weeks now and then we'll decide."
A homebred for the Coolmore partners, Whirl is the first winner for blueblood Galileo mare Salsa, a full sister to Group I winners The United States, Hydrangea and Hermosa, the dam of this season’s Group winning and Group I placed 3YO Trinity College (Dubawi).
Whirl is one of four Group I winners in 2025 for Wootton Bassett, who returns to Coolmore Australia this spring at a fee of $385,000.
