Fabulous Winter a filly for all seasons

Dual Classic heroine Winter (3f Galileo-Laddies Poker Two, by Choisir) lit up a rainy week at Glorious Goodwood on Thursday when taking the G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes for fillies and mares over 10 furlongs. It was a first attempt at the trip for the great Galileo filly, and on the stamina testing, softened ground, she was still easily best, winning by one and a half lengths. Winter was returning after a break following victory in the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, and trainer Aidan O'Brien said: "She's made the transformation from the first half into the second half of the season, and she's won well on the ground, which is like winter jumping ground. It's a different level of fitness you need for it, but she's obviously very good. "She's a filly we can still look forward to in the second half of the season. Getting a mile and a quarter that well opens up a lot of options for her, and she might even get further. "When you get to the final two furlongs in that ground you don't know what's going to happen. She's just very classy. "The lads will decide on her future, but she has an option of Leopardstown [entered in G1 Matron Stakes and G1 Irish Champion Stakes] or York [entered in Juddmonte International and G1 Yorkshire Oaks] now she has won over a mile and a quarter." Ryan Moore was in the saddle and was full of praise for his mount, winning her fourth top-level contest of the season. "Obviously, Winter has an incredible record this year. Two Guineas and a Coronation Stakes. We thought 10 furlongs would be OK for her but the ground was a worry - it is very bad,” said Moore. "You never quite know how any horse is going to handle ground like that. It would have blunted her a bit today but in the end she was well on top. I didn't want it to turn into too much of a slog. "She travels beautifully, she is a high-class filly. I always thought she would pick the others up.”