England: Tamfana continues to improve, grabs first Group 1 in Sun Chariot

The fast-improving 3-year-old Tamfana won her first Group 1 race in Saturday’s $360,700 Sun Chariot Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile at Newmarket Racecourse in Britain, finishing two lengths in front of Inspiral, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita last November.

Tamfana, ridden by Colin Keane for trainer David Menuisier, challenged pacesetter Darnation early, took the lead with a quarter-mile remaining and maintained her lead over Inspiral, who was last early after a slow start.

Inspiral closed well to reach contention with a quarter-mile remaining but could not catch Tamfana, who paid $5.60 as the favorite in American pools. Inspiral was the 3-1 third choice. See the Fire (5-2) finished third in the field of six.

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For Tamfana, the win in the Sun Chariot may lead to a start in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at a mile at Ascot on Oct. 19, or the BC Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 2.

Inspiral, a 5-year-old by Frankel, has likely run her last race after her fourth consecutive defeat in a Group 1 race this year. Owned by Cheveley Park Stud and trained by John and Thady Gosden, Inspiral has won 9 of 17 starts, including six Group 1 races. Inspiral won the 2023 Sun Chariot Stakes in a prep race for the BC Filly and Mare Turf.

Tamfana, a German-bred by In the Wings stallion Soldier Hollow has won 4 of 9 starts. A Group 3 winner in 2023, Tamfana won the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile at Sandown Racecourse on Aug. 31 in advance of the Sun Chariot.

Kyprios dominates Prix du Cadran

Kyprios continued his domination of the European stayers division with his sixth consecutive win, and fourth consecutive Group 1, in the Group 1 Prix du Cadran at 2 1/2 miles at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris.

Kyprios paid a mere $2.40 in American pools. Ridden by Ryan Moore for Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, Kyprios led throughout to win by two lengths over 6-1 Trueshan in the field of five.

Kyprios, a 6-year-old horse by Galileo, has won 14 of 18 starts, and may not be done racing this year. O’Brien said Kyprios will be considered for the Group 2 Long Distance Cup at about two miles at Ascot on Oct. 19.

O’Brien won four of the eight Thoroughbred races on the Longchamp program, including the Group 1 Prix de Royallieu for fillies and mares at 1 3/4 miles with Grateful ($43.40).

Ridden by Christophe Soumillion, Grateful raced toward the back of the field of 15 until the final quarter-mile when she overcame a touch of trouble. Soumillon guided Grateful to a clear position in the middle of the track in the stretch. With racing room, Grateful steadily closed to reach the front in the final strides, winning by three-quarters of a length over 17-1 River of Stars.

Term of Endearment, the 2-1 favorite, finished seventh, beaten 3 1/4 lengths.

Grateful, a 3-year-old Irish-bred, has a pedigree well-known to Americans. She is by Galileo, and is out of Tepin, a Hall of Famer and the champion turf female of 2015 and 2016.

Grateful has won 3 of 7 starts, including two stakes.

At Longchamp on Saturday, O’Brien also won the Group 2 Prix de Chaudenay for 3-year-olds at 1 7/8 miles with Illinois ($2.80) and the Criterium d’Automne for 2-year-olds at a mile with Mount Kilimanjaro ($7.80).

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