Diamond Necklace Continues Unbeaten Streak at Goodwood, Sparks Arc Speculation

Victory and Future Prospects

The unbridled success of Diamond Necklace was on full display as she breezed past Friendly Soul to win the Nassau Stakes by just a nose, extending her unbeaten record. The high summer sun was still beating down on Glorious Goodwood on Thursday but thoughts were beginning to turn towards the autumn’s showpiece events in France and the US after Diamond Necklace extended her unbeaten record to six races with an effortless success in the Nassau Stakes. Her trainer, Aidan O'Brien, expressed optimism about her future races but left the specifics open-ended, considering options such as staying at a mile-and-a-quarter for the fillies' race in France or targeting Leopardstown or potentially an Arc trial.

Market Speculation and Other Contenders

The success of Diamond Necklace has not only boosted hopes but also sparked speculation about her prospects for the prestigious Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Despite not having faced the 12-furlong distance, she is now among the favorites in the betting. The bookmakers, though, also price her as the 10-1 third-favourite for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October. While Diamond Necklace’s stamina for the 12-furlong trip has yet to be tested, female runners have won nine of the last 15 runnings of Europe’s showpiece middle-distance event.

Aidan O'Brien expressed his thoughts on Diamond Necklace's future: “Diamond Necklace is a lovely filly who has danced every dance,” he said. “She has options now, whether she stays at a mile-and-a-quarter and goes to the fillies’ race in France [at Deauville in August], or to Leopardstown [in September] or an Arc trial. ‘It is possible [the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe]. I don’t know how far we ask her to go, but the next run will tell us where she is going to go after that.’” The only names ahead of Diamond Necklace in the Arc betting are Daryz, last year’s winner, and O'Brien’s best three-year-old colt, Constitution River, already the winner of the French Derby and Eclipse Stakes this year.

Goodwood Highlights

The meeting continued with a double from Aidan O'Brien. Man's Best Friend, who had just won his maiden event eight days earlier, ran away with the Group Two Richmond Stakes. The trainer reflected on bringing the horse up to this level of competition, acknowledging that he is still young and could develop into a contender for races like the Middle Park or Gimcrack.

The Coral Golden Mile Handicap drew significant attention as a potential bet, with Godwinson offering interesting odds at 40-1. The horse's form and draw were discussed in detail by O'Brien, who noted that he is a proven winner in big-field handicaps and could make an impact if given the right opportunity. Godwinson had previously demonstrated his ability to win in such conditions, having landed the Lincoln when trained by William Haggas.

Jack Channon's Godwinson is an interesting each-way alternative with odds as big as 40-1. The six-year-old’s hold-up running style means that he is not a bet for the faint-hearted, and he will surely need a decent slice of luck in running to go close. His draw in stall 14 is also less than ideal, but David Probert would be dropping in regardless and there are several reasons to hope for a big run on Friday. Godwinson is a proven winner in big-field handicaps and is now 1lb below his last winning mark.

Thursday’s race will be only his third since a switch to Channon's stable, which is building an impressive record in high-end handicaps. He travelled like a horse in form until finding trouble in running in the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot last month. Goodwood 1.50 Annabel's Ghost proved his stamina for this extreme trip when finishing a close fifth in the Ascot Stakes Handicap at the Royal meeting last month. That was a highly promising first run for Mickael Seror, the French champion over jumps, and he is just 1lb higher in the ratings here.

Source: The Guardian