Aidan O'Brien’s Whirl dominated the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, to record her second Group One success of the season.
The previous race, the Gordon Stakes, was subject to a small delay due to a torrential downpour and when almost 30 millimetres of rain fell in half an hour, the going was changed to heavy.
With lightning in the area, too, the starting stalls were deemed to dangerous to use and following a flag start Ryan Moore took the bull by the horns and sent the Oaks runner-up into the lead.
The Musidora and Pretty Polly winner, who lost out only narrowly at Epsom to stablemate Minnie Hauk, was always in control and while See The Fire briefly looked a threat, Moore had saved plenty and Whirl pulled five lengths clear as the 6-5 favourite. Cecerne, a surprise winner of the Coronation Stakes, kept on well for second on her first run over 10 furlongs.
O’Brien said: "It’s incredible really, she’s a home-bred filly by Wootton Bassett who has all the options in front of her. She could go to the Arc, the Arc trials, and the Breeders’ Cup as well.
"In the spring when the fillies worked it was Whirl who came up in front. Minnie Hauk is a great traveller, a great cruiser, and we won’t see the best of her until she goes up in class.
"When they do come together we will find out who is the best."
Clive Cox won the Markel Richmond Stakes for the third time in seven years as Coppull ran out a comfortable winner, in a race run in torrential rain.
Following on from Golden Horde in 2019 and Supremacy 12 months later, Cox bided his time with the son of Bated Breath after a meritorious run at Royal Ascot.
He finished third behind Gstaad in the Coventry Stakes there and paid the winner a handsome compliment, always looking in control under David Probert.
Aidan O'Brien’s Puerto Rico finished second for the third race in a row, but never looked like getting on terms with the two-length winner.
Eve Johnson Houghton’s Havana Hurricane was last at the halfway stage and while he did make plenty of progress, his run eventually flattened out and he finished third.
Merchant pulled out all the stops to deny Wimbledon Hawkeye in a thrilling finish to the HKJC World Pool Gordon Stakes in attritional conditions.
An impressive winner in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot, William Haggas' improving son of Teofilo was sent off the 6-5 favourite to enhance his growing reputation with a Group Three success.
With the threat of lightning meaning a flag start it was Gary and Josh Moore’s Too Soon who led them along, with the Highclere Thoroughbreds-owned market leader among those held up at the rear of the field along with Aidan O’Brien’s Galveston and Andrew Balding’s recent Sandown winner Windlord.
With the runners edging over to the stands side with the two-furlong pole approaching, it appeared as though James Owen’s Wimbledon Hawkeye would take some reeling in, but Merchant’s jockey Tom Marquand had a brave ally when he needed him, with the colt bridging the deficit to register a nose verdict in the nick of time.
