Nashwa faces eight rivals in Nassau Stakes at Goodwood

Nashwa is an odds-on favourite to take a second Group One contest in the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on Thursday, with co-trainer Thady Gosden confident she will be effective on the South Downs track.

The daughter of Frankel finished three and a quarter lengths behind Tuesday in third in the Oaks at Epsom.

However, she bounced back to give jockey Hollie Doyle her first Classic winner, landing last month's Prix de Diane at Chantilly over half a furlong further than the mile and a quarter she faces at Goodwood.

Gosden, who trains the filly in partnership with his, father John, said: "She ran a very good race in the Oaks at Epsom, she just didn’t quite see out the mile and a half. She’s a filly with plenty of speed. She’s come out of the race in France well and we’re looking forward to the Nassau.

"She’s pretty versatile when it comes to ground and at Goodwood they do a very good job, so I’m sure there will be a nice sound racing surface there.

"She’s a well-balanced filly, with excellent tactical speed. She switches off well, we think she’ll handle the track and she’s very versatile technically as well."

Nashwa takes on eight rivals who include Lilac Road, winner of the Group Two Middleton Stakes at York in May.

She is having only her third run of the season in the Nassau and her trainer, William Haggas, explained: "The only reason she hasn’t run since is that there aren’t many races for fillies when they’ve won their Group Two. There’s only really the Pretty Polly, in which we ran two others. Also it was soft ground, which she doesn’t want.

"She’s fine and she’s working nicely. She’s fresh and well and she’s in good shape. She’ll run a good race, but whether she’s quite up to that class we’ll find out."

Easy ground at the