Sky Safari bids to continue her faultless record on the all-weather in the mile BetMGM Fleur De Lys EBF Fillies' Stakes (2.30pm), one of two Listed races at Lingfield Park on Thursday, November 20.
Successful at Wolverhampton last October, the four-year-old has won three times at Kempton Park in 2025 for James Fanshawe, most recently taking the London Mile Series Final Handicap in September.
With a revised rating of 97, Sky Safari has 4lb to find with top-rated Shuwari, who was runner-up in the 2023 G1 Fillies’ Mile for Ollie Sangster and shoulders a penalty thanks to her Listed success at Longchamp in August.
Tom Fanshawe, assistant to his father, said: “We are looking forward to Thursday with Sky Safari as this race has been the plan for a while. Fillies at this time of the year can be harder to predict but, in terms of her wellbeing, she has been training well and this looks the right spot.
“Sky Safari has looked nice when she has won, while also having a few disappointments in among her five wins. She has looked progressive on her last couple of starts and I thought it was a pretty smart performance in a competitive race at Kempton last time.
“I think she has shown on her last couple of starts, especially last time, that she deserves to have a go at this level and hopefully she can acquit herself well.”
Sandown Park handicap winner Sunlit Uplands is back against her own sex, having finished sixth behind Ice Max in the Listed Robin Hood Stakes at Nottingham last month for Rae Guest.
Naina has had a good autumn for John Ryan, winning a handicap at Newmarket and taking third in a Listed event at Longchamp, although she has to bounce back from a ninth at Saint-Cloud less than two weeks ago.
Zawan lines up for France-based trainer Gavin Hernon, with the three-year-old having won a maiden and conditions race at Deauville from five all-weather appearances.
Fouette steps up in trip and class for James Horton following a pair of handicap successes at Southwell and Chelmsford, while the Ed Walker-trained Queen’s Reign bids to rediscover the form of her short-neck second in Listed company at Longchamp in April.
Rajindri makes her fourth appearance at Listed level for Michael Bell, with her best effort coming when fourth in the October Stakes at Ascot last year.
The lineup is completed by Shuwari’s stablemate Niminy Piminy, plus fellow course scorers Zariela and Sahana for Sean Woods and David Simcock.
Understudy sets the standard in the Listed BetMGM River Eden EBF Fillies' Stakes (1.55pm) over 13 furlongs, a race won by subsequent G1 scorer Sea La Rosa in 2021.
Trained by John & Thady Gosden, Understudy impressed when winning a Southwell novice in the spring and subsequently finished second in the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. Her stablemate Desert Spring lines up on the back of a 12-length victory at Southwell.
Fairy Glen has twice filled the runner-up spot at Listed level for Simon & Ed Crisford, most recently behind Term Of Endearment in the Beckford Stakes in September. Secret Love was sixth in the same Bath contest for Andrew Balding, having chased home Minnie Hauk in the Cheshire Oaks earlier this year.
Sir Mark Prescott’s Bosphorus Rose and the Alan King-trained Loughville reoppose after finishing third and fourth in the Listed Gillies Fillies’ Stakes at Doncaster, while Jessica Harrington sends over Lifting Sails, who shed her maiden tag at Bellewstown last time.
Pique’ also arrives on the back of a recent victory for James Fanshawe, with the four-year-old having captured the same 14-furlong handicap at Nottingham for the second year in succession.
Pique’s dam Pongee scored on the all-weather at Lingfield Park in 2003 before annexing the following year’s G2 Lancashire Oaks, while her half-brother Pinzolo was beaten a neck in the 2017 G3 Winter Derby.
Tom Fanshawe said: “Pique’ has a bit to find with some of the fillies in the race. She will probably head to stud after this, so we thought we would roll the dice at Listed level and see if she can get some black type.”
Salisbury winner Favorite Memory and Lady La Fay, who looked a different proposition when winning in first-time cheekpieces at Great Yarmouth, are other names to note for Ralph Beckett and Karl Burke.
