Nassau Stakes: Ed Walker has Dreamloper pencilled in for Glorious Goodwood assignment as he hopes for better ground

Dreamloper started 2022 in style with back-to-back Group victories in Dahlia Stakes and Prix d'Ispahan but ran into unsuited soft ground when sixth in Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh last time out; Primo Bacio aimed at Falmouth Stakes

Friday 1 July 2022 12:10, UK

Ed Walker's Dreamloper could head next to the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood as she looks to bounce back from a beaten run on unsuitable ground at the Curragh.

The mare began her season in fine form with two successive high-profile victories, winning the Group Two Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket before taking on colts and geldings in the Prix d'Ispahan and prevailing by two lengths.

The Pretty Polly Stakes followed, but Walker voiced concerns about the soft ground ahead of the race and his worries proved to be well-founded when Dreamloper finished sixth of eight.

"It was bad ground, it was just too soft for her," he said. "She got set alight early on, so she was a bit keen on bad ground over further than she had gone before."

The Nassau Stakes, another 10-furlong Group One, is now pencilled in the five-year-old's calendar at the Glorious Goodwood meeting.

"She didn't run badly but I think it was probably a warmer race than the d'Ispahan, it was a good race, the Pretty Polly, and the Nassau will be even stronger," said Walker. "She'll need to step up to win the Nassau but I wouldn't be surprised if she does, especially if it's her ground."

Walker also has a Group One target for the four-year-old filly Primo Bacio, who finished third behind Saffron Beach in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The run was a marked improvement on the bay's prior form in the early part of this season and the latter part of the last, with her training recently made difficult by respiratory issues.

After a pleasing run to come home three and three-quarter lengths behind a previous Group One winner, Primo Bacio will now take aim at next week's Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.

"She ran a really good race and I think she'll come a lot for that," Walker said of the Ascot run. "I was very, very pleased with her, she's had an interrupted prep into that race and a few respiratory infections.

"It was a last-minute call to go there and she did us proud. I think she'll come on a lot for it and that's why we're prepared to have a shot at the Falmouth next month, that's the plan with her."