Nashwa, Al Sagar’s Star Mare, Eyeing Autumn Return

Imad Al Sagar’s prized mare Nashwa is gearing up for a potential comeback to the racetrack this autumn. The five-year-old, owned and bred by Al Sagar’s Blue Diamond Stud, has been a shining star for the operation over the past few seasons.

Trained by the formidable duo of John and Thady Gosden in Newmarket, Nashwa enjoyed a successful three-year-old campaign, finishing third in the Oaks before winning the prestigious Prix de Diane and the Nassau Stakes. The talented mare also put in valiant performances, finishing second and third in the Prix de l’Opera and the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, respectively.

As a four-year-old, Nashwa’s winning streak continued with a triumph in the Falmouth Stakes, and she showcased her versatility by running superb races against the colts in both the Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes, finishing second and third, respectively.

Earlier this year, Nashwa was aimed at the Dubai Turf at Meydan’s key March meeting, where she finished ninth out of 16 starters in the Group One contest over a mile and a furlong.

According to Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Al Sagar, Nashwa has not raced since her Dubai outing, but she has remained in training with the Gosdens and is making steady progress. “She’s in good form, she’s cantering and she’s progressing,” Grimthorpe said. “It took her longer to get over Dubai than we expected, we gave her the time and gave her a little break.”

As for Nashwa’s upcoming targets, the team is considering a return to mile and 10-furlong distances, which could include the Opera or Sun Chariot Stakes as possible destinations. However, Grimthorpe emphasized that the main priority is to assess Nashwa’s condition and readiness before committing to a specific race.

“There’s no immediate target, we’ll just have to wait and see how she does, but she’s in good form and she seems very happy at the moment,” he said. “We’ll look at a mile and at 10 furlongs, that would probably include the Opera or Sun Chariot as possible targets, but the main thing is that we’ve got to see how she is – she might be ready earlier or she might need a little bit more time.”

Nashwa’s loyal fans will be eagerly awaiting further updates on the mare’s progress as she gears up for a potential autumn return to the racetrack.

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