Nathaniel’s Lady Bowthorpe Powers To Nassau Glory

[Wandering Eyes]

Stopping the 3-year-old momentum in Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau S. at Goodwood, Emma Banks's Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) swooped to conquer to end trainer William Jarvis's 27-year wait for another top-level winner. Unlucky when fourth in the G1 Falmouth S. over a mile at Newmarket last time July 9, the 10-3 shot raced with only the 9-4 joint-favourite Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) behind early as the other market-leader Joan of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was sent on by Ryan Moore. Delivered wide of that long-time leader and Zeyaadah (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) by Kieran Shoemark with a furlong remaining, the 5-year-old surged clear to dismiss any stamina fears on her first try at a mile and a quarter. At the line, the habitual strong finisher had 1 1/2 lengths to spare over Zeyaadah, with half a length back to Joan of Arc in third as Audarya proved a major disappointment. “She's a really special filly and she's done nothing but improve,” her rider commented. “It's fantastic for the whole team. She was taking a bit of a hold with me on the way down, so I could tell she was in good form. She appreciates give in the ground and while there was a question about the trip in all her previous races her last furlong has been her best. I knew when she hit the front it was going to take a good one to pass her.”

Coming to the fore when winning Ascot's G3 Valiant Fillies' S. with more than a dash of style over a mile last July, Lady Bowthorpe was sixth in the G3 Atalanta S. at Sandown the following month and in the G1 Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket in October before her winter break. Returning to annexe the nine-furlong G2 Dahlia S. back at Newmarket May 2, the bay was only 1 1/2 lengths behind Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) when runner-up in the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury May 15 before filling that spot again in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. racing away from what appeared to be a favoured stand's rail at Royal Ascot June 16. In the Falmouth, she was caught up in traffic and forced to come around rivals before powering to the line to be just a length off Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}), prompting tears of frustration from her trainer who had been hoping to end the long wait since Grand Lodge's St James's Palace S. success in 1994.

This time, there was to be no hard-luck story as she waited for her chance to strike with Joan of Arc setting an honest pace up ahead. As Audarya failed to pick up in behind, Lady Bowthorpe had just the front two 3-year-olds to concern herself with and after they had tussled for a few strides she burned by in trademark fashion for an emphatic success. “It feels fantastic–we've dreamt about this for a long time,” Jarvis commented. “We always knew she was special and I'm so chuffed for the team at home more than anything, because they work so hard–we only have seven or eight staff. I was confident she'd stay. I was a little worried about Roger [Varian]'s filly [Zeyaadah], because she wasn't stopping but I knew we had that turn of foot. She relaxes so much better now–she's a superstar.”

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