© Photo Healy Racing
After competing in Classics on both sides of the Channel this season, Tamfana will drop in both class and distance for the Sky Bet Atalanta Stakes at Sandown.
A Group Three winner as a two-year-old, David Menuisier’s filly finished a close fourth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket this spring, just a length behind the winner. She then narrowly missed out on victory, taking third place in the French Oaks at Chantilly.
Tamfana’s stamina was tested and found wanting when she stepped up to a mile and a half for last month’s Grand Prix de Paris, where she finished fourth. Menuisier now hopes that the drop in both class and distance for Saturday’s one-mile Group Three race will help her return to form.
“She’s in really good form, she’s had a break and all the lights are green really,” said the trainer.
“I think she clearly didn’t really stay the mile and a half against top opposition. I’m pretty sure she could win over a mile and a half, but not at the very top level, so there is no point continuing at that distance and we’ll come down in trip and try to go back to the top level.
“A mile or a mile and a quarter, I’m still open-minded. I don’t know what we’ll be doing next and we will see what happens on Saturday, but it would be nice to get her head in front for sure.”
Oisin Murphy has been on board Tamfana for three of her four starts this season and he too views the drop in distance as a positive move.
He said: “Tamfana has been running with great credit in Group Ones this season and the mile at Sandown should suit her.”
The Ralph Beckett-trained Doha carried Sheikh Joaan Al Thani’s Al Shaqab Racing colours to Royal Ascot glory in the Kensington Palace Stakes in June and has since filled the runner-up spot in the Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract before finishing a creditable fifth in Goodwood’s Nassau Stakes.
Connections are expecting another positive performance this weekend, with Al Shaqab racing manager Alison Begley saying: “Ralph’s really pleased with her and she’s done nothing but improve this year.
Doha winning at Royal Ascot© Photo Healy Racing
“Obviously the filly we’ve got to beat is the David Menuisier filly and giving away the three-year-old allowance is going to be tough, but I think she goes there with a good chance and you’ve got to be in it to win it.
“She ran a huge race in the Nassau last time and if she can reproduce that form, I think she should go very close on Saturday.”
Jane Chapple-Hyam is looking forward to saddling Rolica, who finished sixth in the 1000 Guineas before running with credit behind subsequent French Oaks heroine Sparkling Plenty in the Prix de Sandringham in early June.
“She’s had a few weeks out of grass since she came back from Chantilly and she’s in really good order,” said the Newmarket handler.
“She’s pleased us recently and we’re very happy to be heading to Sandown, the stiff mile will suit her and the ground should be better than what it was at Chantilly.”
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