€1m Diane Longines: Historic French Oaks for Nashwa and Hollie Doyle

19 June 2022

Nashwa et Hollie Doyle remportent le Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1), dimanche 19 juin 2022 sur l'hippodrome de Chantilly.

Photo scoopdyga.com

Sunday, June 19, 2022, Chantilly Racecourse (Oise). – The 173rd edition of the Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1) crowned the English raider Nashwa (Frankel), and for the first time a woman as the winning rider, Hollie Doyle. Third in the Epsom Oaks in her previous outing, John and Thady Gosden’s charge took the lead alongside the favourite, Agave (Dubawi) with La Parisienne (Zarak) in a handy position behind them by the rail. With her 17 draw, Rosacea (Soldier Hollow) could only travel at the rear. Going off the final bend, the two leaders took off and it seemed for a moment that they would go on their own to the post, but about three hundred yards out, Nashwa and Doyle took the upper hand on their rival, and it was then La Parisienne’s turn to challenge the British duo. The duel that followed remained uncertain for some time, but Nashwa stayed on to win by a short neck. At four and a half lengths, Rosacea, who came from far away by the rail with Christophe Soumillon, snatched third place from Agave while at more than 100/1, Fall in Love (Sea the Stars), also long last, finished very well in fifth.

Third in her only 2-year-old race last year, Nashwa won for her comeback before going for the Oaks Trials (L) in Newbury, over 1m2f, which she dominated easily. She didn’t seem to stay the trip in the Epsom Oaks and here she showed that the 2,100 meters were spot on for her.

Nashwa was homebred in Britain by Imad Al Sagar’s Blue Diamond Stud. She did not go to the sales, unlike her older brother Louganini (Zoffany), a gelding who made £60,000 last year at Tattersalls. Their dam Princess Loulou (Pivotal) won at the Listed level in England and took second place in the Prix Jean Romanet (Gr1) over 1m2f in Deauville.

A Decorated Knight filly was born in 2021.