Queen Aminatu goes for a repeat win in the BetMGM Fleur De Lys EBF Fillies’ Stakes, one of two Listed prizes for fillies and mares at Lingfield Park on Tuesday.
William Haggas’ four-year-old proved a cut above her rivals in the mile contest 12 months ago and ended the winter season with another dominant display in the Fillies & Mares’ Championship on Finals Day.
Gr1 winner Zellie makes her second appearance for John & Thady Gosden having gone down by a neck in a Goodwood Listed contest in May.
Previously trained by Andre Fabre, she landed the Prix Marcel Boussac in 2021 and finished fourth in the following year’s 1,000 Guineas.
Queen Aminatu winning at Lingfield Park last year (Pic – John Hoy)
Winter Oaks heroine Al Agaila bids to enhance her strong all-weather record for Simon & Ed Crisford. The Lope De Vega filly has won four of her six starts in this sphere, most recently taking a mile handicap at Kempton Park last month.
The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Potapova, winner of Sandown Park’s G3 Atalanta Stakes last year, heads two contenders for Cheveley Park Stud. She is joined by Julia Augusta (Roger Varian), who has not raced since contesting an Ascot handicap in the spring.
Nigiri and Coco Jamboo have both stepped forward since finishing first and second in a fillies’ handicap at the Ebor Festival, with Nigiri (Ralph Beckett) chasing home Matilda Picotte in the G3 Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster on her next start.
Coco Jamboo followed up her York effort with two seven-furlong handicap victories, most recently at Newmarket, and now steps up to a mile for the first time.
Her trainer Marco Botti said: “Coco Jamboo has been so consistent during her career, never being out of the frame in 13 starts, and deserves a go at this level.
“The easy mile at Lingfield is not a concern, as her last two wins have been on stiff tracks, and she has a good draw in stall four.
“This looks a very strong race for the grade, probably more competitive than we were expecting, so we would be delighted if she could get some black type.
“I am pretty sure she is capable of black type and I would like to keep her in training as four-year-old, when there should be plenty of races for her.
“The owners [Scuderia Sagam Srls & Partner] wanted the December sales entry as a backup option but it has not been decided whether she goes there. We will have more of an idea after Lingfield.”
The 12 runners also include Queen Aminatu’s stable-mate Good Gracious, who has filled up the runner-up spot in Listed races at Bro Park in Sweden and Naas on her latest outings.
Zouky (Philip McBride) had Queen Aminatu and Nigiri in behind when going down by a half-length in a Listed race at Ascot last month.
Lightship (Kevin Philippart de Foy), who was second to Laurel at Kempton Park earlier this year, Kensington Palace Handicap third Tarrabb (Owen Burrows) and Pastiche (George Boughey) make up the field.
The Listed BetMGM River Eden EBF Fillies’ Stakes (1.47pm) looks another wide-open contest, with Divine Jewel (Roger Varian) setting the standard judged on her narrow defeat in G3 company at Leopardstown in July.
Empress Wu made an impressive introduction for David Simcock at the track last November and has since posted good efforts in Stakes races, including a third in the Gr3 Prix de Psyche at Deauville.
William Haggas, who landed the 13-furlong contest with subsequent G1 winner Sea La Rosa in 2021, saddles Pontefract maiden winner Safety Catch.
The Revenant’s half-sister Andraste makes her first appearance for George Boughey, having won her latest start in France for Francis-Henri Graffard.
Other leading contenders include Luckin Brew (Ralph Beckett), who was beaten a neck in a Pontefract Listed race on her penultimate outing, and recent Goodwood handicap runner-up Greysful Storm (Darryll Holland).
