Saturday's Group 1 Nassau Stakes is one of the undoubted highlights of this week's fabulous Glorious Goodwood racing extravaganza and is set to provide a stage for some of the top European middle distance fillies and mares to go head-to-head before possibly meeting again at the Betfair York Ebor 2011 Festival in three weeks time in the Group 1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks, writes Elliot Slater.
One of the best fields for many years looks set to go to post for the Goodwood 10-furlong contest with bookmakers currently making the Aidan O'Brien-trained Misty For Me, winner of the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh, the 2/1 ante-post favourite. She'll have to be at her very best though to see off the high-class older horses Snow Fairy (winner of four Group 1's around the globe last term), and Sir Henry Cecil's Midday, winner of the race for the last two seasons. People looking for York Ebor betting tips should remember how tight the contest is going to be.
Regardless of who comes out on top this weekend there is every chance that the three leading lights of the female fraternity will be back for more at York on August 18, stepping up an extra two furlongs to tackle the mile-and-a-half trip of the Yorkshire Oaks where the likes of 1000 Guineas and Irish Oaks winner Blue Bunting, (Godolphin's star filly this term), is amongst the more serious potential rivals along with impressive Newmarket winner Crystal Capella (may also run at Goodwood) and Banimpire, consistently in the money in top fillies' events throughout this season.
Islington (2002), Peeping Fawn (2007), and Midday (2010), are all recent winners of the Nassau Stakes to have followed up in the Yorkshire Oaks, so there is little doubt that as trials go for the Knavesmire highlight the Goodwood contest is as good as it gets.