3 minute read
Feature Race Review: G1 Prix de Diane Longines.
Date: Sunday 19 June 2022
Venue: Chantilly (Good to Soft)
Race: R5 – G1 Prix de Diane Longines (2100m)
Type: For three-year-old fillies
Winner: Nashwa
Jockey: Hollie Doyle
Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
Breeding: Frankel x Princess Loulou
Second : La Parisienne
Third: Rosacea
It was a landmark day on Sunday at Chantilly for UK jockey Hollie Doyle as she rode her first career Classic Winner when Nashwa secured the G1 Prix de Diane Longines (2100m).
Seventeen runners contested the 2022 G1 Prix de Diane Longines (2100m) and the best away from the starting stalls was Galla who burst out quickly while the rest of the pack mostly broke on good terms with Hollie Doyle pushing forward on the daughter of Frankel from stall two. After 200m she was one of five near the lead. Even by that point of the race, it was clear outsider and designated pacemaker Galla was going to play a minor role. The Aidan O'Brien trained Toy continued out deep on the course for a time though not as long as Tariyana who was forced to remain very wide.
As they raced past the Château, Tariyana maintained the lead, though the pace was not strong. Nashwa was positioned perfectly in second slightly off the inside running rail, however it was a compact field with only eight lengths covering the filed passing the 1000m marker.
Olivier Peslier managed to position Agave on the inside rail taking the right-handed turn into the home straight sharing the advantage with Nashwa. There were many chances at the 600m straightening with Agave, who appeared to be travelling well, now just ahead of Nashwa. Gradually Hollie Doyle asked her mount for more and galvanised the filly to the front with 250m to go and past Agave. However, at that point the main danger became La Parisienne who had been tracking Agave and began to make a lot of ground once switching to the outside.
Nashwa and La Parisienne fought out the final 150m, and whilst La Parisienne continued to make steady improvement, Hollie Doyle kept up the daughter of Frankel to narrowly win the 2022 G1 Prix de Diane Longines (2100m) for joint trainers John and Thady Gosden by a neck from La Parisienne and a further four and half lengths back to Rosacea who ran home strongly through the pack after being tenth passing the 200m pole. Agave was fourth. Shortly after passing the winning line, Hollie Doyle was congratulated by her husband, Tom Marquand who finished seventh on Zellie.
Owner-breeder of Nashwa, Imad Alsagar gained his first G1 Prix de Diane alongside the jockey, and it was a second victory in the race for John Gosden. Nashwa made her debut only last October at Newmarket (UK) when third over 1400m. She progressed throughout the winter break and returned with an easy win in a Haydock 1600m novice race before winning again in Listed company at Newbury (UK). The filly then produced an excellent third attempting the G1 Epsom Oaks (2400m) two weeks before this Chantilly success with this triumph on Sunday confirming her top-class ability.
