Qatar Nassau Stakes (Group 1)

FANCY Blue, the 11/4 second favourite, became Donnacha O’Brien’s first winner as a trainer in Britain with his very first runner when landing the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes, withholding the strong late challenge of Blue Wind Stakes heroine One Voice (Jessica Harrington/Tom Marquand) by a neck.

Falmouth Stakes winner Nazeef (John Gosden/Jim Crowley) stayed on for third, another two and three-quarter lengths behind.

Supplanted as favourite for the race by the other Coolmore runner Magic Wand, Ryan Moore on Fancy Blue allowed that mare to make the early running before launching a strong challenge at the quarter-mile marker. He soon had the measure of Frankie Dettori’s mount, but had to be tough to maintain his advantage as Tom Marquand sent the runner-up in pursuit. This was her second Group 1 win having lead home an Irish-trained one-two-three in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly earlier in the month.

The runner-up, One Voice, had enjoyed no luck at all when favourite for the Kilboy Estate Stakes at the Curragh on her previous start, and although a 20/1 shot, was in no way flattered. Last year’s winner Deirdre hasn’t really fired of late and never figured with a chance.

It’s extremely rare that a trainer has tasted top-level success with a horse he’s ridden in competition, but that is the case here, with Donnacha having ridden Fancy Blue to win her maiden in his last season as a jockey, and making the smoothest of transitions to the training ranks with a brace of Group 1 wins in his maiden season.

He was understandably delighted with the achievement and the high-class filly who has made it possible. “If you had told me with everything that is going on in the world that I would have a dual Group 1 winner I wouldn’t have believed you,” he said. “Everything is a bit strange and I certainly wasn’t expecting this.

“Fancy Blue is unbelievable, and this is massive. You never believe you will get one like her in your first year of training. When you have the pedigrees that Coolmore have, you always have a chance and I am very lucky.

“People go a lifetime without getting a filly like her. I am no under no illusions as to how lucky I am, and I just need to do the best I can with her. I was looking after her as a yearling and I was responsible for her, but I didn’t have my licence, so she was not under my name.

“I was hopeful of a good performance due to the weight she was getting, and this race fitted in well after her win in the French Oaks.

“We will give her a little break now. She has had a busy start to the year. We might look at Irish Champions Weekend to bring her back. That could in the Matron, which I know is back down in trip, or in the Irish Champion Stakes.

“She will then go to Longchamp where she has the option of the Prix de l’Opera or the Arc. With a fillies’ allowance in the Arc, I wouldn’t be writing her off, so we’ll have to see how strong the Opera is, and Coolmore could have Love for the Arc too.

“After that, it will probably be the Breeders’ Cup or a trip to Japan for the Queen Elizabeth where there is a bonus for winning the Prix de Diane. I know from riding Saxon Warrior and him being by Deep Impact that we got a good following from the Japanese fans. It is always somewhere I have wanted to go.”