Above The Curve backed in opposition to Blue Rose Cen and Nashwa in Nassau Stakes - live updates

A fascinating clash between Blue Rose Cen and Nashwa in the Qatar Nassau Stakes (3.35) is the big draw of the day, but punters have been looking beyond the top two with Above The Curve proving popular.

The Joseph Patrick O'Brien-trained Group 1 winner has the assistance of Moore despite Aidan O'Brien saddling Never Ending Story in the race and her price is into 15-2 (from 11) with Hills.

Nashwa has been particularly easy to back at 5-2 (from 2), while Blue Rose Cen has drifted to 10-11 (from 4-5). In a similiar vein to Above The Curve, Al Husn has been clipped to 11-1 (from 14).

Paddy Power's Paul Binfield said: “The front two in the market are on the drift while Above The Curve has been well supported. It possibly isn’t surprising given she has some good form on soft ground, including a close third in last year’s Prix de l’Opera in which she was only denied by three quarters of a length.”

Artistic Star (3.00) has been backed into 4-1 (from 9-2), while Lunatick (4.45) is another notable mover, with his odds into 9-1 (from 25).

JP McManus-owned Glan popular for Galway Hurdle

The JP McManus-owned Glan has been popular in the betting for the Galway Hurdle (5.05), with her odds shortened to 9-1 (from 12) by William Hill.

Glan only got into the race on Wednesday morning after the fellow McManus-owned Magic Tricks – a Gordon Elliott-trained stablemate – was declared a non-runner due to the ground.

Elliott teamed up with 7lb claimer Danny Gilligan to win Wednesday's Galway Plate with Ash Tree Meadow and the pair bid for a famous double with bottom weight Glan, who is on a hat-trick after victories at Listowel over hurdles and Roscommon on the Flat. She is a best price 10-1, with Zarak The Brave strong at the head of the market at 4-1.

Hercule Du Seuil, who has been touted as an early contender for next year's Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival, is one of the best-backed horses of the day in the novice chase (2.45) at Galway.

Trained by Willie Mullins, Hercule Du Seuil has been cut to 8-11 (from 6-5) to take his record to three wins in four chase starts.

The McManus-owned six-year-old beat the reopposing Ballyadam by 13 lengths at Ballinrobe on his penultimate outing.

Mullins has a warm order in the closing bumper (6.10) with I Will Be Baie into 4-6 (from 10-11), although there has been money for the Gavin Cromwell-trained newcomer Antrim Coast, who has been cut to 7-2 (from 7).

Market movers

Galway
2.45 Hercule Du Seuil 8-11 (from 6-5)
5.05 Glan 9-1 (from 12)
6.10 I Will Be Baie 4-6 (from 10-11), Antrim Coast 4-1 (from 7)

Goodwood
1.50 Perfuse 9-4 (from 3)
3.00 Artistic Star 7-2 (from 5)
3.35 Above The Curve 15-2 (from 11)
4.10 Phone Tag 9-1 (from 12)
4.45 Lunatick 9-1 (from 25), Novus 3-1 (from 9-2)

Updated at 1.35pm

Glorious Goodwood going improves to soft

There has been some respite in the weather at Goodwood with ground conditions changed to soft all over on Thursday morning.

The surface for Qatar Nassau Stakes day is still going to be testing but it has improved from the overnight description of soft, heavy in places on the straight track and heavy, soft in places on the round course.

Clerk of the course Ed Arkell said: "It's been dry since the end of racing yesterday and the sun came out yesterday evening, so I've pulled the ground description back a bit.

"It's steadied overnight, which is great, and has taken it well. There's a tiny risk of a shower today, but the sun's out with a breeze this morning."

There has been a slight change to the configuration of the course as Arkell explained: "As previously advertised, the cut-away has moved from the two-furlong mark back to the three-and-a-half-furlong mark. We've taken the false rail down on the top bend, a day earlier than planned, to provide fresh ground for the fillies' Group 1."

The Nassau (3.35) is set to feature a fascinating clash between star French filly Blue Rose Cen and high-class British contender Nashwa.

The heavy rain on Tuesday and Wednesday has resulted in plenty of non-runners on Thursday's card, with the Group 2 Markel Richmond Stakes (2.25) most affected with five absentees leaving a field of seven. Asadna became the latest withdrawal on Thursday morning, leaving Vandeek as the 11-8 favourite.

The ground at Galway for the fourth day of the festival, headlined by the Guinness Galway Hurdle (5.05), is described as good to yielding, good in places on the jumps course and yielding on the Flat track, with a main dry day forecast.

Updated at 10.15am

Non-runners

Goodwood
1.50 11 Coco Jack, 13 Perfect Play
2.25 1 Jasour, 2 Asadna, 5 Emperor's Son, 10 Unquestionable, 12 Watch My Tracer
4.10 10 Persian Phoenix
4.45 4 Isle Of Jura, 8 Metahorse, 13 Alpha Crucis
5.20 1 Cassias Comet
5.55 1 Rocket Rodney

Galway
2.10 8 Pearl Of The West
2.45 4 I A Connect
3.20 4 Mister Wilson, 6 Pont Audemer, 5 No More Porter
3.55 9 Nelda
4.30 7 Ochocinco, 10 Black Samurai
5.05 11 Magic Tricks, 21 Path D'oroux, 22 A Wave Of The Sea
5.40 18 Spring Evening

Updated at 10.45am

Read more . . .

'I love this filly and I don't think we've got to the bottom of her' - Blue Rose Cen and Nashwa do battle in the Nassau Stakes  

'He's in really good shape' - once-raced Vandeek ready to tackle more experienced juveniles in intriguing Richmond  

'We're going there with a live chance' - who rates his chances against Aidan O'Brien hotpot in Gordon Stakes?  

'If the ground was right I'd be having my maximum bet' - key quotes and analysis for the opener  

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