Nassau Stakes 2025

The Nassau Stakes is the highlight of the third day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival and is a Group 1 open to fillies and mares who are three years old or older. 

It is run over 1m2f and can often involve clashes between the classic generation who have run in either the 1000 Guineas over a mile and the Oaks over 1m4f.

Nassau Stakes Winners, Trends & Stats 

The Nassau Stakes was won for three consecutive years between 2009 and 2011 by Midday and there hasn’t been a repeat winner since. 

  • Nine of the previous 12 winners had a rating of 111 or higher
  • Eight of the previous 12 winners were aged three
  • Eight of the previous 12 winners had at least one Group 1 victory 
  • Seven of the previous 12 winners had won over 1m2f 
  • Seven of the previous 12 winners were beaten last time out 

 

 

Nassau Stakes Runners Guide 

Whirl

Despite a King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes entry for Saturday, this remains the most likely target for this three-year-old filly. An impressive 5 ½ length winner of the Musidora Stakes at York, she finished a neck 2nd behind stablemate Minnie Hauk in the Oaks at Epsom. 

Dropped back down in trip to 1m2f once again in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes, she beat Kalpana by 1 ¼ lengths and has been awarded an official rating of 117 as a result. 

See The Fire

Took her record at York to 2/2 when bolting up by 12 lengths in the Group 2 Middleton Stakes in May before finishing 3rd when supplemented for the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. She finished a neck 2nd in this race last season behind Opera Singer and she is respected in her bid to go one better. 

Cinderella’s Dream

Consistent Godolphin filly who has won eight and finished runner-up three times from her 12 career starts. 

She was an impressive 4 ½ length winner of the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket over 1m1f on her reappearance before finishing 2nd under a penalty in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot. She reversed that form with Crimson Advocate when winning the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket last time when beating January by ½ length. 

Bedtime Story

Another Aidan O’Brien trained filly like the ante-post favourite Whirl who bids to win the first Group 1 of her career. She won her first four starts as a juvenile last season but has been beaten on her next four starts at this level. She put in a career best performance when upped in trip to 1m2½f at Chantilly last time in the French Oaks and is worthy of respect off the back of that run.  

Cercene

Defied odds of 33/1 to win the Group 1 Coronation Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot beating two smart fillies in Zarigana and January with the latter boosting that form when runner-up behind Cinderella’s Dream in the Falmouth Stakes on her next start. 

Connections were tempted to supplement her for the Irish Oaks but appear to have decided to come to this race instead with doubts over her stamina. This 1m2f trip may prove within reach though for this hardy filly. 

Nassau Stakes Trainers & Jockeys To Watch 

Aidan O’Brien has won this race five times with Peeping Fawn (2007), Halfway To Heaven (2008), Minding (2016), Winter (2017) and Opera Singer (2024)

Ryan Moore has won this race four times with Minding (2016), Winter (2017) and Opera Singer (2024). William Buick has won this race three times with Winsili (2013), Sultanina (2014) and Wild Illusion (2018). 

 

Nassau Stakes Goodwood Tips

Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore have won this race four times since 2016 with three-year-old fillies and WHIRL (best priced at 2/1) looks likely to hold strong claims this season. 

An impressive winner of the Group 3 Musidora Stakes at York in May over this trip, she finished a neck 2nd behind stablemate Minnie Hauk in the Oaks at Epsom on her next start when the 1m4f appeared to stretch her slightly. 

Minnie Hauk went on to follow up in the Irish Oaks on her next start whereas Whirl won the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes over this trip beating Kalpana by 1 ¼ lengths.

In 2016, Minding went from the Oaks to the Pretty Polly Stakes before winning this and Whirl appears to be following the same path as her this season. 

With an official rating of 117, Whirl is only 2lbs inferior to See The Fire but being a three-year-old she gets a handy 9lbs weight-for-age allowance and she should prove hard to beat as a result. 

Advised Ante-Post Bet - Whirl 2/1 (1pt)