Tag Archive for: talkSPORT All-Weather Fillies’ And Mares’ Championships Conditions Stakes

Queen Aminatu reigns in Fillies And Mares’ heat

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Queen Aminatu flew home to land a hat-trick in the talkSPORT All-Weather Fillies’ And Mares’ Championships Conditions Stakes at Newcastle.

William Haggas’ daughter of Muhaarar is unbeaten since being switched back to the all-weather and having struck at both Lingfield and Deauville at the back-end of 2022, she continued her love affair with the synthetics in this £150,000 contest at Gosforth Park.

Held up off the steady pace by Cieren Fallon, the Anthony Oppenheimer-owned four-year-old looked like she could struggle to find a run as the race began to develop. But she turned on the afterburners once she found some daylight and showed a devastating turn of foot to run down Rae Guest’s Aramis Girl and the 11-10 favourite Manaafith inside the final furlong.

It was the master of Somerville Lodge’s second victory in the seven-furlong event following Diagnostic in 2018 and there could be plenty more big days to come for the upwardly-mobile filly, with her jockey indicating a trip to Royal Ascot could be on the agenda.

Fallon said: “We went a nice gallop and I was just waiting for gaps really. She settled nicely and when I clicked the go button – wow – she put it to bed in a matter of strides.

“I was drawn next to Jim (Crowley) which was crucial, so I just wanted to follow him as I felt he was the one to beat on Manaafith. She’s a versatile filly who settles really well and with that turn of foot she has, she puts races to bed in no time.

Queen Aminatu ridden by Cieren Fallon (second left) wins the talkSPORT All-Weather Fillies’ And Mares’ Championships Conditions Stakes at Newcastle
Queen Aminatu ridden by Cieren Fallon (second left) wins the talkSPORT All-Weather Fillies’ And Mares’ Championships Conditions Stakes at Newcastle (Richard Sellers/PA)

“I understand she stays in training, she’s improving loads. It’s exciting.

“I rode her work last week and said to the boss I thought she was a Group horse. To win a race like this like that, proves it.

“She’s always going to go and improve for her first run of the year, so with a bit of luck you’d think she can go and win a Group race.

“I think Royal Ascot will be the plan.”

Manaafith carrying high hopes of maintaining unbeaten all-weather record

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Manaafith will bid to enhance her stellar all-weather record in the talkSPORT All-Weather Fillies’ And Mares’ Championships Conditions Stakes at Newcastle.

Victory in the £150,000 All-Weather Championships Finals Day event has always been the plan for Roger Varian’s four-year-old, who is is unbeaten in six appearances on synthetic surfaces and earned her spot at Gosforth Park when scoring at Southwell in January.

Although she raced over a mile when claiming the scalp of Sir Busker in the Listed Tandridge Stakes at Lingfield most recently, the majority of her success has come over seven furlongs and the daughter of Exceed And Excel returns to her optimum trip looking to extend her winning sequence to four.

“I think with any luck she has a good chance,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell.

“She’s very consistent on the all-weather and has improved as she has gone on with her racing. They seem very happy with her at home.

“It’s obviously a big pot, but hopefully she can keep heading in the right direction. This has been her big aim and it will be lovely if she can pull it off.”

Chief among the dangers appears William Haggas’ Queen Aminatu who finished off 2022 with a pair of Listed victories, firstly at Lingfield in the Fleur De Lys Fillies’ Stakes and then in Deauville when impressively taking the Prix Miss Satamixa.

William Haggas’ Queen Aminatu will bid for a hat-trick in the talkSPORT All-Weather Fillies' And Mares' Championships Conditions Stakes
William Haggas’ Queen Aminatu will bid for a hat-trick in the talkSPORT All-Weather Fillies’ And Mares’ Championships Conditions Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA)

The Anthony Oppenheimer-owned filly is officially the highest rated in the field, 4lb clear of Manaafith, with the only other runner in the field holding a rating above 100 being Adrian McGuinness’ Irish raider Hodd’s Girl.

The six-year-old has proven to be an ultra-consistent performer on home soil at Dundalk and having produced a career best in the Lady Wulfruna at Wolverhampton last month, could be set for another big performance when partnered by the in-form Oisin Murphy.

“This time last year Hodd’s Girl was heading for a claimer in Dundalk and now she is rated 101,” said McGuinness.

“She is improving with every run and it was a career-best from her the last day at Wolverhampton.

“If she can produce that run again, I think she will be in the money, especially as the stiffer finish at Newcastle will be to her advantage. I will be disappointed if she does not run a big race.”

Rae Guest’s Aramis Grey finished second to Manaafith at Southwell earlier this year before booking her ticket to the north east by downing recent Cammidge Trophy scorer Vadream at Lingield in a fast-track qualifier in February.

Wolverhampton winner River Pride will represent George Boughey and all-weather jockeys’ championship-chasing Kevin Stott, while Fiduciary (Jane Chapple-Hyam) and Smiling Sunflower (Mick Appleby) also head to post.