Nashwa bounced back to her very best with a scintillating display to win the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at a rain-stricken Newmarket this afternoon.
The daughter of Frankel was disappointing when a well-beaten fourth in the Group 2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud in May and once again returned the losing favourite when runner-up in the Group 3 Hoppings Fillies' Stakes at Newcastle.
Connections, who supplemented Nashwa at the cost of £20,000, were hopeful that she was just taking more time to come to hand this season and were duly rewarded by a staggering performance on Newmarket's Rowley Mile.
It was a first start back over the mile since winning a Haydock novice event on her second career outing, but the dual Group 1-winner showed no signs of that affecting her as she travelled sweetly throughout the contest.
Astral Beau ensured the Group 1 prize would be run at a genuine tempo as she took the field along. Nashwa and market leader Via Sistina were side by side towards the rear but as the pace began to quicken it soon became clear that the former was travelling much the best. Last-time-out Pretty Polly Stakes winner Via Sistina attempted to mount her challenge towards the centre of the track, but the effort was short-lived and the eye was always drawn to Nashwa. The John and Thady Gosden-trained filly was briefly found waiting for a gap approaching the two-furlong marker but with Hollie Doyle having plenty of horse underneath her, the pair had no issues working their way between rivals and Nashwa quickened up in taking style. Doyle sent her mount for home passing the furlong pole and Nashwa lengthened away for a stunning five-length victory.
Ralph Beckett's filly Remarquee won the battle for second with George Boughey's even-money favourite Via Sistina back in third.
John Gosden, who won the Falmouth Stakes with Ryafan (1997), Elusive Kate (2013) and Nazeef (2020), said: "She's a filly that has taken a long time to come to herself. She ran in France, and she wasn't there and at Newcastle she was a little keen early. It's a stiff mile and a quarter up there and she just over-raced early and got caught in the last few strides.
"I only thought in the last week that she needs racing, I didn't want her to be too fresh for the Nassau Stakes by waiting seven weeks. I thought coming here would suit as she's got plenty of speed any how that a mile has really suited her – she's a filly who could run in the QEII [at Ascot] at the end of the year.
"I didn't like the gap between Newcastle and the Nassau, she gets big, and she gets fresh, and she goes to Goodwood and over-races and is too keen. So, this race is close to home and just thought of it last weekend. I rang Teddy [Grimthorpe] and he wondered what I was smoking! I just knew it was the right thing to come here and she's proven it. She's a classy filly.
"She's a powerful filly and she's built like a colt and a mile and a quarter is the top of her range really. She was third in an Oaks and we found out she didn't stay. The plan now is to go to the Nassau.
"She's finely come to herself. A lot of them have found the spring difficult, Emily Upjohn was going to run in Dubai, and she didn't end up running until June, so with the fillies you have to be patient. She's come here though and she's super adaptable.
"Hollie gets an excellent tune out of her. She's over raced at Newcastle, but we've learned from that and come here."
Hollie Doyle said: "Things are going excellent, so I can't complain. For this filly to get her head back in front and just display how good that we know she is - it is the icing on the cake. She's been a real flagbearer for me and the team and there were plenty of doubters on the back of her last two runs today, but John Gosden is a master, and you shouldn't doubt him.
"I think she's just proven to be extremely versatile, you can ride her anywhere and she stays 10 furlongs. Plenty more doors have been opened stepping her back down to a mile."
The Gosden team will be hoping it's a memorable Group 1 winning double this evening as Oaks winner Soul Sister bids to land the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp on Bastille Day.
Paddy Power were seemingly impressed and cut Nashwa to 3/1 from 8/1 for the Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood next month, while the same firm also went 20/1 from 66/1 for the Juddmonte International at York.
