Classic-placed runner will be back at a mile at Sandown.
After competing in prestigious Classics on both sides of the Channel this season, David Menuisier’s Tamfana looks to capitalize on a drop in class and distance in the Group Three Sky Bet Atalanta Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.
The talented filly, a Group Three winner as a two-year-old, has impressed this year with a strong fourth-place finish in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, followed by an even closer third in the French Oaks at Chantilly. However, her stamina was tested when she finished fourth in the 1m4f Grand Prix de Paris, which prompted her connections to reassess her optimal distance.
Trainer David Menuisier believes the drop back to a mile is the right move: "She clearly didn't stay the mile and a half at the top level, so we’ll come down in trip and aim to get her back to the top."
Regular jockey Oisin Murphy is also confident the mile at Sandown will suit the filly.
Among Tamfana’s challengers is Doha, trained by Ralph Beckett, who won the Kensington Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and followed it with strong performances at Pontefract and Goodwood. Al Shaqab Racing’s manager, Alison Begley, expects another bold showing, despite acknowledging that the three-year-old allowance Tamfana receives will be tough to overcome.
Meanwhile, Jane Chapple-Hyam is optimistic about Rolica, who ran credibly in the 1000 Guineas and the Prix de Sandringham. After a well-earned break, the filly is set to return in good order for this competitive mile contest.
The Atalanta Stakes promises an exciting clash between these talented fillies, each looking to assert their class and claim victory at Sandown.
