TAMFANA is the correct favourite for the Group 3 Sky Bet Atalanta Stakes at Sandown this afternoon.

David Menuisier’s filly was the obvious eye-catcher in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, when she had to switch to the near side and rattled home to take fourth place, just a length behind the winner Elmalka.

But she has taken an unorthodox path from the Guineas to the Atalanta Stakes, beaten in the Prix de Diane over 10 and a half furlongs, beaten in the Grand Prix de Paris over a mile and a half, and now back to a mile. She may have enough in hand to be able to drop back in trip, but she is taking on the older fillies today for the first time and she is short.

Doha is one of those older fillies, and she goes into the race with a real chance. Ralph Beckett’s filly is immaculately bred, by Sea The Stars out of Treve. As such, a mile and a half should be her default distance, but it appears that she has more pace than that. She stayed on strongly to win the Kensington Palace Handicap over the straight mile at Royal Ascot in June, getting the better of Hopeful by a relatively cosy head, with the pair of them finishing nicely clear of their rivals.

Beaten

She was beaten next time in a listed race at Pontefract, but she was caught on the inside that day at the top of the home straight, she had to switch out wide, by which time Caernarfon had gone for home. She closed on Jack Channon’s filly all the way up the hill and, in the end, failed by just a head to get to her.

You can mark Doha up on her last run too, when she finished fifth behind Opera Singer in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. She was well back in the field early on that day in a race in which they didn’t go a great pace, with Ryan Moore setting his own fractions on the winner, who led from flagfall. Doha had to chart her way through traffic a little too on the far side as she made her ground to get up for fifth place, with the first five finishing nicely clear, as her run flattened out a little close home over the extended 10-furlong trip.

Doha is four now, but she has raced just seven times in her life, so there is still the prospect of more to come. She is progressing this season, and she could take another step forward today. She was ridden patiently in the Nassau Stakes, but that may have been because she was racing over an extended 10 furlongs. Back over a mile today, hopefully connections will decide to ride her more prominently. 

Obvious

Spiritual provides the obvious potential pace in the race; she made all to win a listed race over today’s course and distance on Eclipse day, but it wouldn’t be a negative if Hector Crouch sat prominently on Doha, not too far off the pace. Al Shaqab Racing’s filly was ridden prominently when she won her maiden on her final run last season, and when she won the Kensington Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot this season.

Yanifer could be the answer to the Livescore Bet Handicap at Chester 15 minutes later. Harriet Bethell’s horse was good in winning a seven-furlong handicap at Chester three and a half weeks ago, and a 4lb hike was not harsh.

He is six now, but he is in the form of his life this season, after missing most of last season. He goes really well at Chester, he has won twice there now, and finished second once and third once in just five runs.

He did well to win last time from a poor draw, 11 of 11. He is much better drawn today in stall six, in a race in which a low draw really is important. Eight of the last 10 winners of the race were all drawn six or lower in fields generally of 10 or 11 or 12, and one of 14, and the first three home in 2022 were drawn in the three lowest boxes.

Carrytheone is well drawn and he is a danger, as is Under Siege, and Divine Libra goes well at Chester and will be a danger if Cieren Fallon can implement a strategy that will minimise the negative impact of his wide draw, but Yanifer is the bet.

Recommended

Doha 2.25 Sandown - 1 pt e/w @ 13/2 (generally)

Yanifer 2.40 Chester - 1 pt e/w @ 6/1 (generally)