Queen Aminatu reigns in Fillies And Mares’ heat

Queen Aminatu flew home to land a hat-trick in the talkSPORT All-Weather Fillies’ And Mares’ Championships Conditions Stakes at Newcastle.

William Haggas’ daughter of Muhaarar is unbeaten since being switched back to the all-weather and having struck at both Lingfield and Deauville at the back-end of 2022, she continued her love affair with the synthetics in this £150,000 contest at Gosforth Park.

Held up off the steady pace by Cieren Fallon, the Anthony Oppenheimer-owned four-year-old looked like she could struggle to find a run as the race began to develop. But she turned on the afterburners once she found some daylight and showed a devastating turn of foot to run down Rae Guest’s Aramis Girl and the 11-10 favourite Manaafith inside the final furlong.

It was the master of Somerville Lodge’s second victory in the seven-furlong event following Diagnostic in 2018 and there could be plenty more big days to come for the upwardly-mobile filly, with her jockey indicating a trip to Royal Ascot could be on the agenda.

Fallon said: “We went a nice gallop and I was just waiting for gaps really. She settled nicely and when I clicked the go button – wow – she put it to bed in a matter of strides.

“I was drawn next to Jim (Crowley) which was crucial, so I just wanted to follow him as I felt he was the one to beat on Manaafith. She’s a versatile filly who settles really well and with that turn of foot she has, she puts races to bed in no time.

“I understand she stays in training, she’s improving loads. It’s exciting.

“I rode her work last week and said to the boss I thought she was a Group horse. To win a race like this like that, proves it.

“She’s always going to go and improve for her first run of the year, so with a bit of luck you’d think she can go and win a Group race.

“I think Royal Ascot will be the plan.”