David Menuisier says that he is convinced his star mare Tamfana, who is one of the prize lots in the upcoming Sceptre Sessions of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, is as good as ever.
The daughter of Soldier Hollow landed a memorable Group 1 triumph in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket last year and, ahead of the Sceptre Sessions, her trainer recalled how he realised she was something out of the ordinary from a very early stage in her career.
He said, “The way she won her maiden at Kempton followed by her Group 3 in France [as a two-year-old], we had our Christmas party shortly afterwards and I put my neck on the line by saying that she was the best filly that I have ever trained. Obviously, I was drunk, but I wasn't far off being right on that one!”
Reflecting on Tamfana's glittering career is bittersweet for Menuisier. For all that she has created some spellbinding memories for her owners Quantum Leap Racing, there was an unlucky fourth in the 1,000 Guineas, where Tamfana was beaten just a length behind Elmalka when denied a clear passage.
Menuisier said, “Honestly, the 1,000 Guineas, I was extremely confident because she went to that race off the back of a really good prep. I was really confident. It's a shame she didn't have a clear run because I am sure that she would have won. That was bittersweet because it makes all the difference. Had she won the 1,000 Guineas, it would have been fantastic for the owners and myself, as it would have been my first Classic in the UK. It's still a bit sore when we talk about it. You never really get over those things until you win one I suppose!”
If there was one positive to take from that fine effort in defeat it was the fact that Tamfana proved herself as a bona fide Group 1 horse in the making. She confirmed that when storming to Sun Chariot glory at Newmarket later that season.
“She always showed a lot of class – she was third in the Prix de Diane and fourth in the Grand Prix de Paris,” Menuisier said. “Going to the Sun Chariot, we were pretty confident that she would win but she had been quite unlucky throughout the season. It was just a massive relief when she won. It was like watching the race in slow motion, really. Just sheer elation.”
Around two months after Tamfana's Sun Chariot success, her dam, Tres Magnifique (Zoffany), sold to MV Magnier for €1,400,000 at the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale. Tres Magnifique herself is out of a full-sister to the dual Listed winner and G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly runner-up Timos and half to the GI Beverly D. Stakes heroine Sea Calisi (Youmzain).
On plans for the future, Menuisier has little doubt in his mind that the four-year-old Tamfana can be as good if not better than ever next year.
He said, “I do believe she is as good as ever. Her first run of the season was absolutely fantastic, running second in the Sandown Mile, which is always a strong race. We beat some of the best milers in Europe that day. In the Lockinge, nothing went right and she actually got struck into that day. She lost her stride and I felt the ground was a little bit too quick for her that day. Because the ground was so quick during the summer, we decided to give her a break during the summer and bring her back in the autumn on what I thought would be good ground. The softish ground did not come until October and we were forced to run in the Prix de l'Opera straight away. That was a hard thing to do but she nearly pulled it off. She then produced a massive run in the QEII at Ascot as well.”
Menuisier added, “I know the filly really well and she ran well from a mile to a-mile-and-a-half and from good-to-firm to heavy ground because she's a real racehorse. She doesn't know what defeat means and gives her best all the time. And I know that she is as good as ever.”
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