GOODWOOD, ENGLAND // It could scarcely get much better for Sir Henry Cecil. After the exploits of Frankel on Wednesday in the Sussex Stakes he secured his eighth victory in the Nassau Stakes with Midday yesterday.
The victory tees up another possible tilt at the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November at Churchill Downs, where she failed by a neck last year to add to her victory in the 2009 race at Santa Anita.
First up, however, could be a rematch with Snow Fairy, who finished second under Frankie Dettori, and possibly Crystal Capella, who was ridden into fourth behind Principal Role by Ryan Moore. "All going well, and if she is well with herself she will go for the Yorkshire Oaks [on August 18], and after that we will see how we go. We can't tell her what to do. She will tell us," Cecil said.
After Aidan O'Brien withdrew Misty For Me overnight on account of the drying ground, only six remained in the Group 1 contest.
Crystal Cappella first made a bid for the finish line, with Dettori making chase on the stand side on the globe-trotting Snow Fairy. All the while, Tom Queally sat motionless in the saddle on Midday and two furlongs from home it looked all too easy.
Crystal Cappella was the first to crack, and when Midday swerved out in front of Snow Fairy, cutting off Dettori's challenge, there was only ever going to be one winner.
It was Midday's third consecutive success in the race and the fourth in all for Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who also won with Ryafan in 1997.
Godolphin's dual Classic winner Blue Bunting will also run in Yorkshire Oaks.
Her trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni said: "Blue Bunting is doing well and she will go to York for the Yorkshire Oaks. She is in good form and very happy."
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