Favourite Nashwa and Hollie Doyle still popular in Nassau betting despite drift

Qatar Nassau Stakes (3.35) favourite Nashwa may have drifted in the market but she still is receiving substantial support, with £100,000 laid on the Group 1 winner on Thursday morning.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained filly drifted to 11-8 with bookmakers but Star Sports laid £100,000 on Nashwa at 5-4 to claim her first top-level success in Britain under Hollie Doyle.

The firm also reported £4,000 was placed on John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes (3.00) runner Grand Alliance, who was a close-fought second in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out.

A Star Sports spokesperson said: "We've laid £100,000 on the favourite Nashwa at 5-4 today while in the Gordon Stakes there been £4,000 laid at 10-1 on Grand Alliance, so they would be our two losers in the big races.

"We've got off to a good start however, with Migam and Vee Sight, who were the start of a lot of multiples, not winning. It's begun well but there's still a lot to come yet."

Money has also been pouring in on Thursday for the Kevin Ryan-trained Fonteyn to deliver a major upset in the feature Group 1 at Goodwood.

The three-year-old was priced at 25-1 on Wednesday but has received major support, and is now as short as 11-1 with bookmakers to make a winning debut in Group company.

Fonteyn (right) heavily backed in the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes at GoodwoodCredit: Edward Whitaker

The daughter of Farhh broke her maiden on her latest start at York by a head from Grande Dame, who since went on to land the Listed Coral Distaff comfortably over Oscula.

Thursday's Group 1 contest will be the first start for Fonteyn since May and is a significant step up in class, but assistant trainer Adam Ryan is confident the filly will relish a step up to 1m2f.

"She's in good order and we're very happy with her going there," Ryan said. "The form has worked out well from last time, but it's a big step up in grade and she's stepping up to a mile and a quarter. She deserves to take her chance and her breeding says the trip should be no problem."

On the undercard at Goodwood, West Wind Blows has been backed on Thursday morning to land his first success in Group company in the Gordon Stakes.

The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained colt has been supported into 4-1 (from 6) to follow up on his impressive Listed success at Hamilton with a first Group victory under James Doyle.

West Wind Blows: backed to land a first Group success at Goodwood on ThursdayCredit: Andrew Parker/Grossick Photography

He is one of four Gordon Stakes runners with an entry for the St Leger in September, with the three-year-old currently an ante-post price of 16-1.

Also entered in the Doncaster Classic is Gordon Stakes favourite New London, who was backed on Thursday into 7-4 (from 2).

The pair lead the market ahead of Hoo Ya Mal, the 150-1 Derby runner-up who has drifted to 11-2 (from 5-1) ahead of his first start for George Boughey.

Nick Bradley out for more Group glory

Nick Bradley is bidding for more Group success at Goodwood after Oscula delivered a special victory in the Oak Tree Stakes on Wednesday.

The George Boughey-trained three-year-old snatched the Group 3 contest by a head just four days after finishing runner-up in Ascot's Valiant Stakes, a run of form which has delighted the Nick Bradley Racing syndicate.

"She's been busy this season and her fighting spirit is second to none," Bradley said. "We had lots of our members at the track and it was special."

Twenty-four hours later, Bradley is on the hunt for another Group success with Al Qareem in the John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes (3.00).

The three-year-old went down narrowly to the reopposing Deauville Legend in the Bahrain Trophy Stakes at Newmarket last time and is priced at 20-1 to make a winning return over 1m4f.

Al Qareem (right) goes down narrowly to Deauville Legend in the Bahrain Trophy Stakes at NewmarketCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Bradley said: "He ran against Deauville Legend last time and we were idling in front. He was desperately unlucky not to win and Deauville Legend has a penalty, so he should be competitive.

"I set the target of five Listed or Group wins this year for Nick Bradley Racing and we're on three. I've bought later maturing two-year-olds this year and I think we'll get there. I'm not satisfied with where we are at the moment but we're going in the right direction."

Who do punters think will give Noel Meade a first Galway Hurdle win since 2005?

Punters have been supporting Jesse Evans to deliver trainer Noel Meade his first success in the Guinness Galway Hurdle Handicap (5.05) for 17 years.

The County Meath-based trainer last claimed Thursday's feature contest in 2005 with More Rainbows but bids to end his losing run with Jesse Evans, who has tumbled to single figures ahead of the race.

The six-year-old was priced as big as 16-1 with bookmakers on Wednesday but is now a 9-1 third-favourite behind the well-fancied Adamantly Chosen and Santa Rossa.

Jesse Evans: backed into single figures for Thursday's Galway HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Jesse Evans finished fourth in the contest last year under Sean Flanagan but will now be partnered for the first time by Bryan Cooper, who landed Galway's Listed novice hurdle on Tuesday.

Party Central was a notable non-runner in the Galway Hurdle for Gordon Elliott, having been priced generally at 8-1 before being scratched due to lameness.

Updated at 2.15pm

Market movers

Galway

5.05 10. Farout 10-1 (from 12) 12. Jesse Evans 9-1 (from 16)
6.10 17. What Path 10-3 (from 4)

Goodwood

1.50 4. Warren Point 5-1 (from 13-2)
3.00 8. New London 7-4 (from 2), 10. West Wind Blows 4-1 (from 6)
3.35 6. Fonteyn 11-1 (from 25)
4.10 6. Seductive Power 4-1 (from 5)
4.45 10. Le Beau Garcon 4-1 (from 6)

Going latest: Conditions maintained at Goodwood

Conditions are expected to follow a similar pattern on day three of the Qatar Goodwood festival with the going remaining good to firm, good in places on Thursday.

The going is maintained following another dry night and 5mm of watering on the round course by clerk of the course Ed Arkell, who is anticipating highs of 22C.

"We remain at good to firm, good in places with 7.8 on the GoingStick," Arkell said at 8am on Thursday morning. "We applied 5mm of irrigation to the round course last night and the cutaway has just moved back over a furlong, so it's now three and a half furlongs from home. It should be a dry day with sunny spells ahead."

Although higher temperatures and chances of showers were expected towards the end of the festival, which concludes on Saturday, Arkell anticipates the dry weather to continue throughout the meeting.

He said: "We're expecting it to be warmer from tomorrow onwards, and from the forecast I have seen there's nothing to suggest so far that we should expect anything by way of rainfall about the place."

Goodwood's seven-race card begins at 1.50, with the feature contest headed by Prix de Diane winner Nashwa as seek seeks her first British Group 1 in the Qatar Nassau Stakes (3.35).

The fourth day of the Galway summer festival gets underway at 2.10 following selective watering overnight, with the going remaining good on the jumps course and good to yielding on the Flat.

Posted at 9am

Non-runners

Galway

3.20 3. Flaming Moon, 17. Church Mountain, 20. Mulgrave, 21. Starting Monday
3.55 9. Affogato, 14. Siesta Beach
4.30 3. Arabian King, 8. Must Be Dreaming
5.05 6. Party Central, 22. Rich Belief, 23. Hearts Are Trumps
5.40 19. Folly Beach, 20 French Company, 21. Eagle Terrace
6.10 21. Cyndi's Girl

Goodwood

2.25 6. Marshman
4.10 9. Sunningdale
4.45 7. Sir Henry Cotton, 13. Clarence C
5.20 5. Eight Fifteen, 7. Luckin Brew, 10. Ninetynineproblems, 16. So Chic, 18. Statu Of Liberty

Thursday previews:

1.50 Goodwood: 'He looks very progressive' - Can Migdam break Johnston handicap stranglehold?

2.25 Goodwood: Hot Royal Ascot form on show as Royal Scotsman bids for Richmond glory

2.45 Galway: 'It was always the plan to come to Galway' - a quality novice chase in store

3.00 Goodwood: Which horse has leading trainer Charlie Appleby 'always held in high regard'?

3.35 Goodwood: Can she improve again? Nashwa all the rage for Nassau, but this is no tap-in

5.05 Galway: 'This has been on my mind for a while' - Galway Hurdle insight and quotes

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.