The Middleton Stakes at York and the Lockinge at Newbury are among the races likely to come under consideration for Nashwa following her creditable comeback run in Dubai last weekend.

John and Thady Gosden’s filly has struck gold three times in Group One company, landing the French Oaks and the Nassau Stakes in 2022 before adding the Falmouth Stakes to her CV last summer.

She was also placed against the colts in both the Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes last season and headed for the Middle East to make her five-year-old debut on Dubai World Cup night.

Drawn widest of all at Meydan in stall 16, Nashwa managed to get into a prominent early position in the Dubai Turf and was not beaten far in the end – and connections are taking the positives out of her performance.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner-breeder Imad Alsagar, said: “Her chance was certainly compromised by the draw, but it is what it is. She’s run a super race and got a great ride and everything pretty much went to plan.

“She just had to use herself up a little too much, but she was beaten just over four lengths, so overall we were very encouraged really.

“We’d hope she’ll improve, as she did last season. She’s due back tomorrow and we’ll see how she is, but I think we’ll probably look at the mile, mile and a quarter races.”

Nashwa is entered in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes at York on May 16 and the Al Shaqab Lockinge at Newbury two days later. The daughter of Frankel appears likely to contest one or the other on her next appearance.

“Of course, it depends how she comes out of the race. She recovered fine, but we’ll see how she takes the trip home etc, and then we’ll make a plan,” Grimthorpe added

“She’s in the Middleton and the Lockinge and I think those would be the most likely potential targets.”

Bluestocking will have “unfinished business” to take care of when she returns to the track for her four-year-old season, with York’s Middleton Stakes or the Tattersalls Gold Cup possible early-season options.

Trained by Ralph Beckett, the Juddmonte-owned filly acquitted herself with real credit during her three-year-old campaign and although she failed to add to her Salisbury juvenile success, she finished outside the top three only once in six starts, rattling the crossbar in some of the biggest races of the season.

She had the misfortune of bumping into Aidan O’Brien’s Warm Heart on three occasions, including when placed at Royal Ascot, while it was another Ballydoyle filly, Savethelastdance, that thwarted her Irish Oaks bid in the dying strides.

The daughter of Camelot was last seen going down valiantly by a neck in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and connections are desperate to see if she can finally get her hands on a major middle-distance prize this term.

“Bluestocking is back and looks great. I’ve just seen her and we feel like we have a bit of unfinished business with her,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for Juddmonte.

“She’s gone close on a few occasions; her Irish Oaks run was obviously a big run and her Champions Day run was also huge.

“She looks great and she could start in the Middleton Stakes perhaps and there’s also the Tattersalls Gold Cup in Ireland – she likes the Curragh, so that’s a possibility – and we will aim her at all those high-class middle-distance fillies’ races throughout the year.

“I think she has got a little stronger from three to four and she’s grown, so I think there is definitely some more to come from her.”

Kimpton Down handler Beckett may be without Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Westover this season, but he could be the man responsible for Juddmonte’s main Classic hopes in both the colts and fillies’ divisions.

Frankel colt Task Force found just Vandeek too good when second in the Middle Park Stakes as a two-year-old and is being prepared to head straight to Newmarket for the Qipco 2000 Guineas, where he is as short as 12-1 to emulate his sire.

Mahon continued: “Ralph says we have some lovely horses and I’m not sure we will have much for the trials – Ralph is indicating Task Force is going to go straight to the 2000 Guineas without going to a trial.

“Task Force is in great shape and I’ve just seen him and he looks to have wintered well. We’re very happy with him and if his work is good then he will go straight to Newmarket.”

Beckett and Juddmonte could also be represented in the following day’s Qipco 1000 Guineas by Oh So Sharp Stakes runner-up Skellet and Lingfield maiden winner Indelible, with both fillies pleasing their handler in the early parts of the spring.

Kingman filly Skellet is another who could head straight to Newmarket on the first weekend of May, with Indelible the most likely of the duo to take in one of the key trial races over the coming month.

“It’s a little bit of the same as Task Force with Skellet and we have two nice fillies there, as we also have a nice one called Indelible, who is a Shamardal out of Midday,” added Mahon.

“Indelible won her maiden nicely at the backend of last season and one or the other might run in a trial, with the other probably going straight to Newmarket.

“It’s just a case of working out over the next four weeks how they are training and see. They look well and Ralph is happy with where they are at.

“With every week that goes by, they will keep on improving and maybe if we were to run one, it might be Indelible who goes for a trial. But we’re not hung up on it either and if they both need a bit more time they can go straight to Classics from where they are.”

Free Wind defied a 320-day lay-off to land the Group Two Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes at York under a fine ride from Frankie Dettori.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained four-year-old had been absent since winning the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock in July, but was a warm order for her return in the extended 10-furlong event.

Sent off the 6-5 favourite, she settled well and when asked to lengthen approaching three furlongs to run, she did so effortlessly.

As the run from long-time leader Aristia – carrying a Group One penalty – petered out, Free Wind hit the front soon enough and outsider Rogue Millennium loomed large on the outside under Jack Mitchell.

Though the pair came close when Free Wind edged right, Free Wind kept finding and after a stewards’ inquiry, the result – a half-length victory – stood.

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