Nashwa’s gripping victory in the G1 Prix de Diane (2100m) at Chantilly last month made headlines beyond the confines of the racing world and this three-year-old daughter of Frankel is widely expected to wow the Glorious Goodwood crowds in the G1 Nassau Stakes (1984m) – for Fillies & Mares – on Thursday (28 July).

Shortly after Nashwa’s stamina had given out in the closing battle for the G1 Oaks, finishing third behind Tuesday at Epsom in June, her rider Hollie Doyle commented wistfully: “I hope to win a Classic one day.”

And, amazingly, it happened just 16 days later when Doyle – who has broken record after record as an increasingly iconic rider – did precisely that. Dropping to the 2100m of the Diane Doyle’s tactical skill on the famously demanding Chantilly racecourse – plus her uncanny ability to galvanise her mounts to do their very best  – resulted in she and Nashwa fending off La Parisienne, ridden by the ageless Gerald Mosse, by a short neck in that French Classic.

It was a historic victory with 25-year-old Doyle becoming the first female in the long saga of Classic races to win a European Classic that holds G1 status.

Nashwa’s joint-trainers John and Thady Gosden continue to send out plenty of winners but their Newmarket stable have had a few  big-race setbacks this month whilst Nashwa will also have to encounter older rivals for the first time.

We saw in Ascot’s G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2392m) last Saturday that the three-year-olds dominated the betting but the older horses – led by winner Pyledriver – dominated the race so it might not be such a simple task for Nashwa.

Amongst those older Nassau Stakes rivals will be Dreamloper who gained her first G1 with a relatively straightforward victory in the Prix d’Ispahan  (1850m) at Longchamp in May, after which Thursday’s jockey Kieran Shoemark came in for a ton of praise from trainer Ed Walker, especially for “pressing the button at just the right time.”

Dreamloper then put in a less shiny performance when only sixth in the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes (2000m) at The Curragh but Walker has long had this significant Goodwood G1 in his mind. The trainer says: “A mile and a quarter (2000m) where four furlongs (800m) of it is downhill could be the perfect race for her.”

Lilac Road (Tom Marquand), now a closer after formerly being ridden aggressively, posted a career best when winning York’s G2 Middleton Stakes (2051m) on her last start 77 days before this assignment. She looks a serious contender whilst Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore – both in terrific winning form at Goodwood on Tuesday – team up with Concert Hall. A tough daughter of Dubawi she has continued to make an impact in G1 company without quite looking like winning. Perhaps first-time cheekpieces on Thursday will provide her with that extra edge.