Tamfana set for another Group 1 challenge

The filly showed plenty of promise when beaten only a length in the 1000 Guineas on her second run as a three-year-old, after which she was twice stepped up in trip.

Firstly, contesting the Prix de Diane at Chantilly over a distance just in excess of 10 furlongs, the bay was third when appearing to stay on well in a narrow loss of three-quarters of a length.

Subsequently, she stepped up again to a mile and a half in the Grand Prix de Paris, but this time it was felt Tamfana did not stay the trip, albeit not disgraced by her fourth-placed effort.

Connections regrouped and chose to return to a mile at Sandown on the last day of August, where their filly was the 13/8 favourite under Oisin Murphy for the Group Three Atalanta.

Both her status at the head of the market and the decision to step down in distance proved justified as she cruised to a decisive two-and-three-quarter-length success from Ralph Beckett’s Doha.

David Menuisier was contemplating either staying at a mile for the Sun Chariot or returning to 10 furlongs for the Prix de l’Opera and looks set to choose the former option for Tamfana’s next outing, with the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot a possibility thereafter.

“She’s come out of the race very well, she hasn’t had a hard race and is in good form,” the trainer said.

“It was a relief, it was important to win the race and take it as a stepping stone to better things down the line.

“It felt important to win with her, she has some very good form and is clearly a very quick filly.

“I think it makes more sense to keep her over a mile as we speak, so we’ll probably go for the Sun Chariot and maybe the QEII if she comes out of the race well.”