'She's taken off on the track' - can Queen Of Ipanema make it six on the bounce?

talkSPORT Winter Oaks Trial Irish EBF Fillies' Handicap (Class 2) | 1m2f | 3yo+ (0-105) | ITV4/Sky

Last season’s Winter Oaks Trial headlined Southwell’s inaugural Tapeta meeting after it ditched the Fibresand and the fillies lining up here will encounter a different type of test.

The previous running took place on a standard to slow surface over 1m3f and provided a greater emphasis on stamina than 1m2f on Lingfield’s speedier Polytrack will.

Topweight Viola landed that under her customary hold-up tactics, but a repeat success feels unlikely. This strong stayer, whose other three victories came over 1m4f, will find this sharp enough off a 7lb higher mark in a race without a guaranteed front-runner.

Improvement is required and, despite trainer James Fanshawe’s impressive recent form, Viola is vulnerable facing five less-exposed three-year-olds.

This will be a tactical affair and Tyler Heard might wish to set the fractions aboard Tahasun from stall one.

Tahasun has been kept busy by trainer Henry Spiller with ten starts this year, and recorded her two best performances on Racing Post Ratings on her last two runs.

The latest effort was a course-and-distance success by a neck from Sweet Fantasy, who franked the form by scoring next time and reopposes from 1lb worse terms.

Sweet Fantasy notched that victory over 1m4f at Southwell and is drawn widest of all in stall six in her bid to double up over two furlongs shorter.

If no rider from the lower five boxes wishes to take the initiative, Franny Norton could feasibly bid to dart across and pick up pace-making duties, as his filly stays further and will be unsuited by a slowly run event.

Punters are naturally drawn to prolific winners and Queen Of Ipanema has been a real all-weather success story this winter, completing her five-timer at Wolverhampton in Class 4 company two weeks ago.

The daughter of Teofilo commenced her winning sequence off a mark of 52 and bids to defy a 31lb higher rating on her first crack at a Class 2.

However, Queen Of Ipanema was workmanlike when clinging on from a fast finisher on her previous start and makes limited appeal at a short price on this step up in grade and drop in distance. The handicapper might have her measure.

Bettors also gravitate towards well-bred William Haggas-trained daughters of Sea The Stars representing the Tsui family.
Sea Tsarina, the least-exposed runner in the line-up, is the latest example and disputes favouritism with Queen Of Ipanema.

There have been excuses for Sea Tsarina’s two defeats. Making the running failed to suit when she lost at odds of 2-7 in a Newmarket novice and soft ground was against her at Thirsk last time.

The talent is clearly there. Sea Tsarina ran to a Racing Post Rating of 92 when obliging on her debut and is one from one on the all-weather, so might be the answer stepped up to 1m2f for the first time off 87.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Fanshawe 'optimistic' Viola will run big race

James Fanshawe is optimistic that topweight Viola will outrun big odds on what is likely to be her final start before she retires to stud.

Winner of this race 12 months ago – when it was staged at Southwell – the five-year-old mare has performed consistently in defeat in 2022, including when second to Sea La Rosa in the Group 3 Pinnacle Stakes over 1m4f at Haydock in May.

The majority of her best form has been achieved at that trip or further but the drop to 1m2f at Lingfield seems unlikely to prove a disadvantage.

James Fanshawe: trainer of ViolaCredit: Edward Whitaker

“She’s had a really good year, and goes off to stud in January,” Fanshawe said. “She’s really well, but has a big weight to carry.”

While conceding that Viola has plenty of weight to shoulder against her five rivals, who are all three-year-olds, Fanshawe nonetheless expects a bold performance.

“We know she is effective around Lingfield – she has won twice at the track – and a filly in good form at this time of year counts for a lot,” he said. “I am optimistic she will go well.”

What they say

William Haggas, trainer of Sea Tsarina
She's got a chance. Sea Tsarina has enjoyed a bit of a break and is ready to go again. She wants this trip but she needs to settle. She has been much better at home since her break. It will be interesting.

George Boughey, trainer of Queen Of Ipanema
She’s in good form and just keeps winning. A mile and a half stretched her at Wolverhampton last time and William [Buick] was keen for her to come back to a mile and a quarter. The filly has surprised me since she got on a roll; she’s taken off on the track. She has a good pedigree and still looks on the upgrade.

Charlie Fellowes, trainer of Tequilamockingbird
Tequilamockingbird is very easy to train. She is a light-framed filly and I don’t even have to gallop her at home. She is unbeaten over the course and distance, which is always encouraging at a track like Lingfield, and the form of her win the other day is working out nicely. If you look through the race, there are a few fillies who may not be quite racing over their optimum trips, whereas these are optimum conditions for our filly. We are really positive about her chances. She was down to be sold but her owner [Chris Wright] kept her in training purely to have a go at this race and the Winter Oaks in January. I think it is encouraging because these races with good prize money were put on for exactly this reason.
Race reporting by Richard Birch

Saturday previews:

1.15 Lingfield: Finding the leader could prove key to solving this sprint puzzle

2.40 Chelmsford: Can Lord Paramount land the odds against experienced rivals?

3.15 Chelmsford: 'I'd love him to win one and go out on a high note' - sprint handicap quotes

3.33 Lingfield: Can Gosden rule again in Quebec Stakes with two leading chances?

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