Menuisier hoping plenty in favour of Tamfana at Chantilly

All boxes appear to be ticked for Tamfana, as she prepares to go for Classic compensation in the Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly.

Trainer David Menuisier was left wondering what might have been following Tamfana’s luckless run in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, when beaten a length into fourth by Elmalka.

Oisin Murphy is available to ride this weekend, with Menuisier placing no blame at Jamie Spencer’s door for Newmarket, and the step up in trip to 10 furlongs is expected to bring out further improvement in the stoutly-bred filly.

“She is an easy filly to ride and we have a top jockey on board because it may not be just Plan A, we could end up with Plan B, Plan C and Plan D. Oisin knows her well and we have no worries about the draw (four),” said Menuisier.

“I think I was the only one who was disappointed with the Guineas result, all the owners were delighted. But if you are not unhappy after something like that then you should not be in racing as you want to win the race.

“She has a pedigree that oozes stamina, there is some proper stamina on the dam’s side. On her pedigree, we shouldn’t have any doubts about stamina, rather speed, but that’s something she’s had from when she started to come to herself in September last year.

“She makes me think of Zarkava, which is a big statement. She shows similar traits in that she can be ridden very cold and win a race within a few yards because of her massive turn of foot.

“She looks more like a colt than a filly, she is a very powerful horse and I’m sure she will keep on improving physically.

“If you compare her to War Chimes (placed in the Oaks), it is like comparing a diesel to a petrol car. War Chimes is very good, but Tamfana has so much more speed. Tamfana, there is no other horse in a morning who can go with her.”

Charlie Appleby is represented by Dance Sequence, the only other UK-trained runner, after she bounced back to form to finish second at Epsom in the Oaks.

Appleby told www.godolphin.com: “Dance Sequence appears to have come out of Epsom in good shape.

“It’s always a bit tricky in terms of timing running in both races but we feel that she is showing the right signs.

“I feel dropping back in trip will suit and hopefully some ease in the ground won’t do her any harm.

“We are applying cheekpieces just to hopefully keep her concentration at the business end of the race. She has a sensible draw in seven and, if she can reproduce her Epsom form, she is going to be a big player.”

Chris Hayes has picked up the ride on Francis-Henri Graffard’s Aga Khan-owned Candala having ridden Ezeliya in the same colours at Epsom, while Graffard has booked Tom Marquand for his other runner, Paraiba.

Aventure is arguably the best hope for the home team after Christophe Ferland’s filly won a Group Three by seven lengths last time out.

“After the Prix de Royaumont, everyone asked me if she would heading to the Prix de Diane. It was difficult question to answer when put on the spot, even though we had this Classic at the back of our minds before the race, and in the event that she were to win as if it were a routine exercise gallop. It also depended on how she recovered from the Royaumont,” said Ferland.

“She has come out of the race in great shape and the filly hasn’t lose an ounce. For me, the 2,100m trip won’t be a worry. The overriding consideration was how she recovered and, since then, she’s been doing her normal daily work, in the form of some gentle canters on the all-weather, combined to a very short piece of work on grass to see if her action was still fluid, and there were no problems on that score.”

Hollie Doyle will partner the Tim Donworth’s L’Equilibriste as she seeks to replicate the success she enjoyed on Nashwa in the two race years ago.

“She’s going to be a big price but you never know,” said Doyle.

“I think it’s an open race this year and she has a good draw. She’s an improving filly who won a Listed race now and stays well. She seems to be progressive, but as we know she needs to take a huge step forward.

“It’s nice to have a ride in the race and when I got offered the ride by Tim Donworth I could not really turn it down to go to Salisbury instead.”