Oisin Murphy is revelling in the prospect of being on board Japanese star Deirdre in the Irish Champion Stakes next month after landing the Group one contest last year on board the late Roaring Lion.
The five year old trained by Mitsuru Hashida came over to England for the first time this season and ran at Royal Ascot, like the meeting has done before attracting horses from all over the world, in the Group One Prince Of Wales's Stakes.
She finished sixth out of an eight strong field and ultimately she was outclassed and it was hard to see how should would improve that much for her run at Glorious Goodwood.
However, Oisin Murphy stepped on board for the first time in the Nassau Stakes and the mare was a class above using the inside rail under a great ride from the Irishman to just get up close home, seeing off John Gosden's Mehdaayih.
The Irish Champion Stakes has been confirmed the next point of call for the five year old and Murphy is over the moon to have a big chance of landing back to back renewals of the contest.
(Credit At The Races) He said: “You see the large turnout of Japanese people, particularly at the Arc meeting every year, so (it will be great) to bring them to Ireland, and hopefully with a live chance and to give them something to really shout about.
“I’m sure it’s going to be one of the best middle-distance races of the year and hopefully I can get involved.“It was a huge result last year, winning the Irish Champion Stakes on Roaring Lion, and hopefully I go back there with a live chance this year.
“She wants fast ground and hopefully she’ll get that at Leopardstown.”
Murphy rode Deirdre for the first time competitively at Goodwood, but was hopeful she would put her Royal Ascot run behind her which she magically did.
He added: “I thought her form back in Japan was very strong, but she needed to bounce back to her best. To be fair, when I galloped her on the Al Bahathri at Newmarket she felt fantastic.
“I felt her run at Ascot the time before could be written off as it was very slow ground.”