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Super tough filly Lamar remained unbeaten this All-Weather Championships season after her second consecutive Fast-Track Qualifier success in tonight's seven-furlong 32Red Fillies Conditions Stakes on Tapeta at Wolverhampton.
The four-year-old daughter of Cape Cross has a free and guaranteed slot in the £150,000 32Red.com All-Weather Fillies' & Mares' Championships Conditions Stakes over the same distance on Polytrack at Lingfield Park on Good Friday, March 25, 2016.
Trained by James Tate in Newmarket, 3/1 second-favourite Lamar raced a close third towards the outside under Luke Morris, went second at half-way, took the lead turning into the straight and went clear. She held the late flourish of Kyllachy Queen (11/1, Marco Botti/Adam Kirby) by a half-length despite drifting right in the final furlong.
Alfajer (5/1, Marco Botti/Martin Harley) kept on to be third, two lengths further in arrears, by a head from the Evens favourite Cold As Ice (William Haggas) who was the first British ride for South African jockey Bernard Fayd'Herbe.
James Tate commented: "Lamar is a lovely filly to deal with in every way and it is great to be associated with her as she is so tough and genuine.
"She wants to win and performs admirably on the All-Weather. Lamar is fit and well at the moment and has benefited from a break after running at Royal Ascot.
"She is going to be covered at some point next year - she is four rising five - and the only question is when. It could be between races, before the All-Weather Championships Finals on Good Friday or after that.
"No decision has been taken yet and it will be one race at a time from now on. The next potential target is the Listed Miss Satamixa over seven and a half furlongs at Deauville on December 27 in which she was fourth under Davy Bonilla last year after having no luck in running.
"I know Luke (Morris) is planning a break around then but I hope to persuade him to divert to Deauville and ride Lamar again."
This was Lamar's fifth victory and four have been on the All-Weather with Luke Morris in the saddle for each of those successes.
The jockey praised Lamar: "She is tough as nails. She was only beaten a short-head by Grendisar in a mile and a quarter Listed race last season so I was keen to draw the sting out of the others and get first run.
"It worked out lovely - getting a sit behind the leader Maggie Pink. I committed Lamar soon enough as I knew she would gallop to the line.
"She is very versatile and was just getting a bit lonely in front towards the end - fair play to her - she stuck her head down and tried for me.
"The prize money on Good Friday is so tempting and fingers crossed that it will persuade connections to go there again."
Lamar was beaten a neck by French raider Fresles in the £150,000 32Red.com All-Weather Fillies' & Mares' Championships Conditions Stakes over the same distance on Polytrack at Lingfield Park on Good Friday 2015.
Lamar's victory on her return to action on the All-Weather came in the Listed 32Red/ebfstallions.com Fleur de Lys Fillies' Stakes over a mile at Lingfield Park on October 29.