Diamond Necklace proved why she was so highly regarded when she extended her flawless record with a commanding victory in the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. After capping off an immaculate two‑year‑old season by winning the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc weekend at Longchamp, Aidan O'Brien’s filly returned to France to add two more Classics to her résumé – the French 1000 Guineas and the French Oaks – before tackling older horses for the first time. Entering the race as a 4‑6 favourite, Diamond Necklace was poised to go six‑for‑six.
Her main challenger, Friendly Soul, tried to unsettle her, but Ryan Moore rode with unmistakable confidence. The filly surged clear, finishing two and three‑quarter lengths ahead with apparent ease.
Moore was effusive after the race: "She felt the best she ever has, improving with every run. Aidan mentioned she was a little heavier today, but that’s just strength building.
She’s a classy filly, the win was almost effortless. She travelled smoothly, accelerated nicely, and while she still has a touch of idle‑ness up front, she’s a true race machine. Every time I ride her she shows tremendous pace, enthusiasm and a sharp turn of foot – just like her sire, St Mark’s Basilica." O'Brien echoed the sentiment, praising the filly’s progression: "She’s a lovely girl and she’s getting better each day.
She was a bit heavier today, but our work rider Rachel Richardson told us it was just strength she’s developing, not a drawback. There are many people who support her and she’s a wonderful filly. This was a mile and a quarter against older fillies, and we didn’t know exactly how it would unfold.
We gave her a lot of pace because we didn’t want a ‘Mickey Mouse’ race, and now she has several options. You can see her quality in the way she cruises through a race. Ryan wanted to let her lead longer, but her stride was being broken, so we kept her cruising.
She’s a great cruiser, full of quality, and she’s progressing brilliantly – I’m over the moon." The win was part of a broader narrative of Diamond Necklace’s meteoric rise. After dominating her juvenile campaign, she secured back‑to‑back Classics in France, and now she has added a Group One triumph against seasoned older fillies to her tally. Her connections are already looking ahead to future targets. Paddy Power cut her odds for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe from 14/1 to 8/1, but O'Brien has yet to decide whether to stretch her beyond ten furlongs.
He hinted at several possibilities: a mile‑and‑quarter campaign culminating in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, a French Arc trial, or even a Breeders' Cup filly program, depending on how far they are willing to test her stamina. "Constitution River is the boss and everyone has to fall into line behind him. At the moment he is going to York and we’re looking forward to that," O'Brien said, referring to the broader stable plan.
"She could stay at a mile and a quarter and go to Leopardstown, or head to France for an Arc trial – she handles both soft and fast ground equally well. The Arc is an option, and she could even be aimed at the Breeders' Cup. Her next run will tell us where she’s headed. She has a long stride, loves good ground and a fast track, and the possibilities are numerous." Friendly Soul, the runner‑up, has had a tumultuous season of her own, returning from injury only to suffer a mishap at Haydock and a disappointing run in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Nevertheless, trainer Thady Gosden praised her performance: "She ran a fine race against a top‑class three‑year‑old who is unbeaten. It was a very good effort and we’ll now, in consultation with the owners, look at the programme for older fillies – there are good opportunities ahead." In the same meeting, Joseph O’Brien kept his options open with Enceladus after a dominant win in the Maison Perrier Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. The Sea The Stars colt, who has improved markedly after being stepped up in distance, previously won at Cork and captured the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Sent off as a 6‑4 favourite, Enceladus held off Geryon by a length and a quarter under jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle. Betfred, the Classic sponsors, have made Enceladus a 10‑1 shot for the St Leger, a race where Joseph O’Brien famously broke his British Classic duck as a trainer with Galileo Chrome six years earlier. Yet O’Brien cautioned that a Doncaster run is not a certainty: "I’m delighted, it was a nice ride from Dylan.
It was a very nice performance and he’s a progressive, improving colt. It was a big step up in class and it’s a hard thing to do, but he’s going the right way and I’m thrilled to have a horse of his potential for Maria and the Niarchos team." When asked about the Leger, he added, "It’s one of the obvious options, but I don’t know if we’ll push him past a mile and a half either.
Let’s see how he pulls up and let the dust settle, then we’ll lock in his next target." McMonagle described his mount as "a lovely, big, straightforward horse. He’s done nothing but improve; each run he gets better. I think he’ll be a very nice horse going forward and I do believe he can compete at Group Two and Group One level with a bit more time. He’s still a big baby – when he’s fully mature he’ll be a top‑class performer.
He handles the ground well and has a touch of class – a horse to watch." Colin Keane, who rode the runner‑up, reflected on the race: "I thought for a few strides we were going to catch Enceladus, but he picked up and went away again. I’d say the winner is smart, but we’re smart as well – he’s a work in progress.
He probably didn’t see it out as well as the winner, but I think in time he will. He’s a little hard on himself, he wears earplugs to help him relax, so he’s a work in progress but a horse with a big future, hopefully." Diamond Necklace’s unbeaten streak, her versatility over a range of distances, and her ability to handle both firm and softer ground make her one of the most exciting prospects in European racing today.
Whether she steps up to the Arc, contests the Irish Champion Stakes, or even travels across the Atlantic for a Breeders’ Cup challenge, her connections will weigh her stamina, ground preferences and the timing of her next run. For now, the filly remains a shining example of Aidan O’Brien’s training brilliance, a true racing machine whose future is brimming with possibilities.