UK: A Fugue Success For Gosden

Sunday, 5 August 2012: The Fugue made amends for a couple of unlucky runs with a smooth success under Richard Hughes in the Markel Insurance Nassau Stakes.

Tom Queally almost stole the race from the front aboard Timepiece but Hughes made giant strides down the outside to get up and score by one length aboard the 11/4 winner.

Gosden's stable jockey William Buick elected to ride 7/4 favourite Izzy Top but the pair were trapped out wide and weakened to the rear of the field.

The Fugue had marked herself out as an improver when winning the Musidora at York in May but suffered an interrupted passage when third in the Investec Oaks and found the soft ground against her when second in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot.

Gosden said: "If ever a filly had deserved a Group One then it was her. She is a very good filly and has been unlucky. She won the Musidora - there is no point talking about the Oaks and the ground was too soft for her at Royal Ascot. It was a 20-day gap between the Oaks and the Ribblesdale, but she was feeling the effects of about half an inch of overnight rain. She went there in very good form but she has tiny ballerina feet and ballet dancers don't go particularly well in a swamp. She is as smooth as silk and Richard enjoyed riding her.

"There was no pace today but that can happen in small fields. Tom Queally (on Timepiece) dictated and he relaxed the pace. Izzi Top got caught out wide when Ryan Moore came forward on Was and after that Izzi ran with the choke out and was too fresh.

"Hughsie sat calm though and has given the winner a lovely ride.

"I walked the last mile of the track with my stick before hand in case I was not happy with the ground but it was just the easy side of good.
"William had the choice but had to pick Izzi as she was the Group One winner, but The Fugue has shown her class today and we will look at the Yorkshire Oaks with her.

"I am lucky enough to train for some very good owner-breeders - Normandie Stud with the Coopers, Andrew and Madeleine with Watership Down and Meon Valley with Izzi Top. They are owner-breeders, which is the hardest game in the world but, when you get good fillies for them, they become foundation mares which keeps them interested in the game otherwise it can get dispiriting."