Diamond Necklace aims for fourth Group One at Glorious Goodwood

Goodwood stages its third day of the Glorious meeting on Thursday with the Group One Nassau Stakes (3.35pm) headlining a card that also includes the Group Two Richmond Stakes and the Group Three Gordon Stakes.

The feature race brings together some of the best fillies and mares in training, but all eyes will be on Aidan O'Brien's Diamond Necklace. The three-year-old has won all five of her starts to date and is chasing a fourth top-level victory. She signed off her juvenile campaign with success in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp and has since added the French 1000 Guineas and the French Oaks at Chantilly.

That last win, over 10 furlongs for the first time, required her to battle to the front, but she stayed on strongly and was firmly on top at the line. With further improvement expected and the benefit of the three-year-old weight allowance, she will take plenty of beating as she takes on older horses for the first time.

The only other Group One winner in the race is Friendly Soul, trained by John and Thady Gosden. She won the Prix de l'Opera last season but had an unfortunate reappearance when stumbling at Haydock. She finished third behind Blue Bolt in Group Two company at Ascot last time and will need to improve to trouble the favourite.

Earlier races offer value

The day opens with the Coral Kincsem Heritage Handicap (1.50pm), where Ciarrai Abu looks a solid bet. Harry Eustace's gelding has already won and finished a close fourth in two starts at Goodwood. He built on that fourth with a win at Ascot last time, leading right on the line over a mile, and now steps up to one mile two furlongs. Drawn in stall two, he can continue his rise through the handicap.

The Group Two Richmond Stakes (2.25pm) features Flann Sunna, trained by Simon and Ed Crisford. The colt has won both his starts comfortably, most notably by nearly five lengths at Ascot last time, and looks a cut above his main rivals Cut A Dash and Night In Vegas.

The Group Three Gordon Stakes (3.00pm) often produces a high-class three-year-old. Bay Of Brilliance had threatened to reach that level when narrowly beaten by Maltese Cross in the Lingfield Derby Trial and then finishing fourth in the Derby. He disappointed in the German Derby last time, but that was on very soft ground. With Maltese Cross having since won a Group One, Bay Of Brilliance can bounce back on a faster surface.

Thursday's selections

Ciarrai Abu (Win and Place) - 1.50pm Goodwood
Flann Sunna (Win) - 2.25pm Goodwood
Bay Of Brilliance (Win) - 3.00pm Goodwood
Diamond Necklace, Friendly Soul (Exacta) - 3.35pm Goodwood