Manaafith and Fine Wine headline Southwell runners on New Year’s Day Manaafith aims to build on a promising start to her career in the It's Time To Turn To talkSPORT Fillies' Conditions Stakes (3.56pm), the highlight of Southwell’s New Year’s Day fixture. The seven-furlong Fast-Track Qualifier provides the winner with a guaranteed start in the £150,000 All-Weather Fillies & Mares’ Championships at Newcastle on Finals Day. Manaafith is unbeaten in four starts on the all-weather for Roger Varian, most recently defying top-weight in a seven-furlong handicap at Wolverhampton on December 10. The Shadwell filly registered novice wins at Lingfield Park and Chelmsford City in 2021 and returned this year with an eye-catching handicap success at Kempton Park in September. Rae Guest captured the It's Time To Turn To talkSPORT Fillies' Conditions Stakes with Arriviste 12 months ago and the Newmarket trainer is chasing a repeat win with Aramis Grey. Aramis Grey arrives in the form of her life, having won handicaps at Chelmsford City and Kempton Park before going down by a head to Apollo One in the Unibet London Sprint Series Final. Farhh To Shy began her 2022 campaign with an easy win at Doncaster and was not disgraced in the Kensington Palace Handicap at Royal Ascot, in which she finished 11th after meeting trouble in running. A three-time winner in 2021, Farhh To Shy will be looking to reverse the form with Manaafith after going down by almost two lengths to that rival at Wolverhampton. Trainer George Margarson said: “Farhh To Shy is very well. This race has been the plan for a while as we would like to get her qualified for the final, which I think she would be well up to competing in. “She is a better filly than she has shown of late. She ran very well at Royal Ascot but it took a lot out of her, so we gave her a break and it has taken a couple of runs to get her back. “We were behind Manaafith last time but our filly has come on quite a bit from that. I think with a smaller field, we have a better chance of getting a run and overturning the form. “Farhh To Shy is capable of more, as in her work she is able to deal with horses like Ropey Guest. She has matured into a strong filly now and looks back to where she was at the end of last year.” Dual winner River Pride makes her first appearance for George Boughey, while North American import Fiduciary completes the five runners for Jane Chapple-Hyam. Later on the card, Fine Wine goes for a third straight win in the Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Handicap (4.56pm) over five furlongs. Scott Dixon’s in-form sprinter landed a similar contest over the course and distance in November before securing his Finals Day place with a tenacious display in a Newcastle Fast-Track Qualifier earlier this month. The opposition includes Alligator Alley, who has won twice for David O’Meara since finishing fourth behind Fine Wine at Newcastle, and The Bell Conductor, who is three from three since joining Paul Midgley.
About the All-Weather Championships Season 10 of the All-Weather Championships runs from Tuesday, October 18, 2022, and culminates with All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Newcastle on Good Friday, April 7, 2023. The six championship categories are: *Three-Year-Olds sponsored by News UK - 6f Final *Fillies & Mares sponsored by News UK - 7f Final *Mile sponsored by Spreadex Sports - 1m Final *Sprint sponsored by BetUK - 6f Final *Marathon sponsored by BetUK - 2m Final *Middle Distance sponsored BetUK - 10f Final
There are two ways for horses to qualify for one of the finals on All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Newcastle: * A horse can win a 'Fast-Track Qualifier' race which will ensure a FREE and GUARANTEED place in the corresponding final on Good Friday. There are four Fast-Track Qualifiers in each of the six championship categories hosted at racecourses in Great Britain, Ireland and France. If a filly wins any of the Fast-Track Qualifier races for either the Sprint or the Mile categories, the filly will be qualified for the final of that specific category, or for the Fillies and Mares Final. or * A horse must run a minimum of three times on the All-Weather surfaces in Great Britain, Ireland and France; or twice on the All-Weather surfaces in Great Britain, Ireland, France and once on dirt in Dubai or Saudi Arabia during the qualifying period between October 18, 2022 and the six-day entry stage for the finals (Saturday, April 1, 2023) and then be rated high enough to 'make the cut' in a final by order of its BHA Rating.
In addition, prizes will be awarded to each of the All-Weather Champions - the 'All Stars' - based on the number of winners at the end of the All-Weather Championships season:
Champion All-Weather Jockey (winner and runner up) Champion All-Weather Apprentice Jockey (winner and runner up) Champion All-Weather Trainer Champion All-Weather Owner
For more information on the All-Weather Championships, please visit: For more information, please contact: Sam Cone Head of Communications and Public Affairs Arena Racing Company Office: 020 7802 5120 Mobile: 07920 404 296 |
