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Haggas Bidding For Another Win In Thursday's Fast-Track Qualifier At Lingfield

Fast Track Qualifiers
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30 October 2018

Progressive filly Move Swiftly heads a full field of 12 chasing Fast-Track Qualifier success in the £40,000 Listed Ladbrokes EBF Stallions Fleur De Lys Fillies' Stakes (2.35pm) at Lingfield Park this Thursday, November 1.

The winner of the mile Polytrack contest is guaranteed a free start in the £150,000 Ladbrokes All-Weather Fillies & Mares Championship over seven furlongs back at Lingfield Park on Good Friday, April 19, 2019.

Move Swiftly (James Doyle) could give trainer William Haggas his third straight victory in the Ladbrokes EBF Stallions Fleur De Lys Fillies' Stakes, following on from Muffri'ha in both 2016 and 2017.

Move Swiftly started her career on the All-Weather, scoring twice from three starts at Chelmsford City and Wolverhampton, before making a successful turf debut in a mile fillies' handicap at the Qatar Goodwood Festival in July. The daughter of Farhh has since finished second in valuable fillies' handicaps at York's Ebor Festival in August and at Newmarket on October 6.

Fellow three-year-old Lush Life (Jamie Osborne/Nicola Currie) is another contender with untapped potential. She has won three of her four starts to date, including twice on the All-Weather, and last time out quickened well to win a seven-furlong fillies' handicap at Ascot on October 5.

Other three-year-olds to note include Akvavera (Ralph Beckett/Joe Fanning), who is seeking a hat-trick after handicap victories at Sandown Park and Epsom Downs, plus G3 Hoppings Stakes runner-up Rasima (Roger Varian/David Egan).

Rasima's trainer Roger Varian has another leading contender in Shenanigans (Jason Watson). The four-year-old finished second in the Listed Snowdrop Fillies' Stakes on Polytrack at Kempton Park in April before an excellent third in the G3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom Downs in June.

Castle Hill Cassie (Ben Haslam/Graham Lee), who is a dual winner from four starts on the All-Weather, has a 3lb penalty thanks to her victory in the Listed Flying Fillies' Stakes over six furlongs on turf at Pontefract in August. She has since finished eighth in the seven-furlong G3 Sceptre Stake, also on turf, at Doncaster on September 14.

Yorkshire-based trainer Ben Haslam said: "Castle Hill Cassie is in good form. She has come out of her run in the Sceptre Stakes very well.

"We are going to give her this All-Weather campaign before she goes breeding. She has been a real stable star for us and a privilege to train.

"She is a horse who likes time between her races, so we have given her plenty of time before this run and hopefully she runs well.

"We are keen to have a tilt at the Fillies & Mares Championship on Good Friday. She has won on the All-Weather before, so the surface holds no fears and we think this race could suit.

"Obviously, the Fillies & Mares Championship is over seven furlongs, but I don't think the sharp mile around Lingfield is necessarily a negative.

"She won over what I think is the stiffest seven-furlong All-Weather track at Newcastle and the sharpness of Lingfield could suit.

"Her Listed win at Pontefract was over six furlongs, but they went a pretty strong gallop that day and she was staying on strongly at the finish."

More contenders to note include All-Weather specialist Lucymai (pictured) (Dean Ivory/Jack Duern), who finished third in the Ladbrokes All-Weather Fillies & Mares Championship on Good Friday earlier this year, and impressive Haydock Park scorer New Day Dawn (Tom Dascombe/Luke Morris).

 

Lingfield Park's eight-race programme during the All-Weather Championships on Thursday also features the £40,000 Listed Ladbrokes Bet £5 Get £20 EBF River Eden Fillies' Stakes (3.05pm, 11 runners) over a mile and five furlongs.

Four-year-oldTeofilo filly Alwaysandforever (Luca Cumani/Joe Fanning), owned by a Coolmore partnership, has raced at Listed level on her last six starts, with the pick of those efforts coming when second in the Chalice Stakes at Newmarket in August.

Newmarket-based Luca Cumani, who retires at the end of the year after a distinguished training career, is also running five-year-old Oasis Dream mare Pacharana (George Wood) who has only appeared once before this year.

Haggas, who took the spoils in 2017 with Daphne, relies on Dramatic Queen (James Doyle). She wears a first-time hood after finishing fourth in a valuable handicap at Haydock Park in early September.

Ireland's champion Jump trainer Willie Mullins sends over Law Girl (Jason Watson) after she came home 13th in the Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket on October 13.

The five-year-old Lawman mare was beaten a head by stablemate Limini in a valuable staying handicap on Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown in September.

Mullins' only previous runner under both codes of racing at Lingfield Park was Shantalla Peak, who finished 10th in a class five Flat handicap on the All-Weather in December, 2002.

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