Tar-Get Longchamp

TAR-GET LONGCHAMP 
Shadwell’s year has been a stellar one thanks mainly to the exploits of their fillies, and one of the elite among them, Tarfasha (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), will be bidding to extend the sequence in today’s G1 Prix de l’Opera Longines at Longchamp. Runner-up to the operation’s star performer Taghrooda (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the June 6 G1 Epsom Oaks, the Dermot Weld trainee was rebounding from a subsequent fifth in the July 19 G1 Irish Oaks when besting the 2013 winner of that Classic, Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), in The Curragh’s G2 Blandford S. over this trip last time Sept. 14. The owner’s Racing Manager Angus Gold told PA Sport, “Tarfasha is coming here having beaten a Classic winner in Chicquita. It was her first run of the year, of course, but our filly beat her well. I saw her last week and she looked fantastic, and I believe Pat Smullen was delighted with her when he rode her in a piece of work earlier this week.” 
Interestingly, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum also has the 3-year-old Hadaatha (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) engaged, and although she has plenty to find on her latest success in the Listed John Musker Fillies’ S. over this trip at Yarmouth Sept. 17, the manner of her performance there suggests she is no forlorn hope. “Hadaatha is a filly we have always thought a lot of,” trainer Roger Varian commented. “She won nicely at Yarmouth and has thrived since. She has a similar profile to [the 2011 winner] Nahrain, who was also stepping straight from listed company into a Group 1. She is a straightforward filly and I expect her to run very well in what looks a very open race.” 
Helping to set the standard are the Aug. 2 G1 Nassau S. scorer Sultanina (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and Elite Racing Club’s Aug. 24 G1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Ribbons (GB) (Manduro {Ger}), but both would hold stronger claims if more rain arrived, while His Highness The Aga Khan has a duo to represent him as he bids to extend his record tally of four successes. Christophe Soumillon’s pick is Narniyn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was second to Sultanina in the Nassau before coming unstuck on Deauville’s testing surface when fourth in the Romanet last time, but Alain de Royer-Dupre has positive words for his other raider, Shamkala (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}). Made favorite for the G1 Prix de Diane on the strength of her exalted reputation and success in the G3 Prix Cleopatre over 10 1/2 furlongs at Saint-Cloud May 14, the homebred managed only fourth in the June 15 Chantilly Classic before flopping when eighth in the G2 Prix de Pomone over 12 1/2 furlongs at Deauville last time Aug. 16. “Shamkala has had many minor injuries, which is why we have taken our time with her,” her conditioner explained. “When she ran in the Diane, she was not at her best but has a lot of ability and, in my opinion, is the best of in her generation.”