Gosden Poised for Jean Romanet Glory With Big Improver

If ever there was a horse who should fit naturally into the French way of life, it is the John Gosden-trained Nazeef. This filly improved from 93-rated handicapper to group 1 winner in four runs between September and July, carried there by a potent turn of foot.

The theory runs that French races put greater emphasis on the ability to quicken. It is a generalization, of course, but one rooted in a cultural step-change that sees no greater crime than going for home too soon.

The filly who accelerated to win the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1) should take all the stopping under Frankie Dettori in the Aug. 23 Darley Prix Jean Romanet (G1) at Deauville.

That she was beaten upped to a mile and two furlongs last time in the Qatar Nassau Stakes (G1) is of no great concern. The Nassau was steadily run and Nazeef finished with her usual rattle, but had met traffic and looked a little inconvenienced early in the straight. The easiest diagnosis would be to blame the track.

"She seems to have a remarkable constitution; she takes her racing very well and has a great attitude," racing manager Angus Gold said of Hamdan Al Maktoum's runner. "I think she's pretty tough and with any luck she is still in good form. The Nassau was strange to watch because I thought she was running a disappointing race before running on when she got to the flatter part. They very much felt she didn't enjoy coming down the hill. She certainly stays the trip, and I think she'll handle some ease in the ground."

Nazeef's style appears to stand in contrast with leading home hope Dariyma. She has always been well regarded but started to really reveal her potential only when winning a listed race at Chantilly last time from the front.

"This looks the logical race, but it's a case of whether we dare run on soft ground, which she hasn't enjoyed previously," trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre said of Dariyma. "She is in good form but the track is very deep, and if it looks too bad, then she won't run." 

A long strider and seemingly resolute galloper, she would make a handy exchange student with Nazeef. Christophe Soumillon might be advised to stretch rather than control from a handy draw in stall 3.

A good gallop might also suit Ambition. She has won lesser group races at Toulouse and Lyon-Parilly on her past two runs, traveling powerfully and just doing enough once shaken up. There is more improvement in her, granted the right conditions.

"She has already won on heavy ground, though the ground is drying and I think it will not be nearly as deep as last weekend," trainer Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte said of Ambition. "It's difficult to say if she has improved because she's had quite a gap since the Corrida and it hasn't been easy to work her because we've had some really hot spells down in the southwest."