Jane Chapple-Hyam's horse, Shades Of Summer, aims to continue her progress in the BetMGM Fillies' And Mares' Championships Handicap. The five-year-old has been performing well since transitioning to all-weather racing during the winter season. She has won three races convincingly, covering distances of six and seven furlongs.
Among her victories is a notable win over Nine Tenths on New Year's Day, where Shades Of Summer received a 20lb advantage. She has also defeated Aramis Grey on two occasions. In the upcoming race, both Nine Tenths and Aramis Grey will compete against her once again. However, Nine Tenths will carry an additional 12lb compared to Chapple-Hyam's filly, accounting for Jack Enright's 7lb claim.
Chapple-Hyam expressed confidence in Shades Of Summer's current form, acknowledging Nine Tenths as a strong competitor who will benefit from the weight advantage. Nevertheless, she believes her filly still has untapped potential and described her as a consistent performer who continues to improve.
William Haggas, the trainer of Nine Tenths, is concerned about the high weight burden carried by his horse, stating that it puts her at a disadvantage against lesser-quality opponents. He believes she would have had a better chance if the race were still a conditions race.
Rae Guest, the trainer of Aramis Grey, recognises her consistent performance and the previous encounter with Shades Of Summer, where they will now have a 4lb weight advantage. However, Guest also acknowledges that the main threat in the race is Nine Tenths, who did not receive a handicap increase despite winning a Listed race.
James Tate's horse, Cloud Cover, is considered another contender with a good chance of success. Despite finishing fifth behind Shades Of Summer in their previous meeting, Tate plans to employ different tactics in the upcoming race, aiming to delay the horse's move to the front for a more competitive performance.