Tag: Dermot Weld

Coronation Glory For Siyouni’s TDN Rising Star Tahiyra

Coming through in a highly tactical renewal of the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot on Friday, The Aga Khan's TDN Rising Star Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}–Tarana {Ire}, by Cape Cross {Ire}) showed her class to widen her portfolio which already included an Irish 1000 Guineas and Moyglare Stud S. Sent off the 8-13 favourite to bridge a 45-year gap for Dermot Weld in this prestige event, the half-sister to Rosewell House's recent superstar Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) was instantly faced with adversity and a conundrum for Chris Hayes as she missed the break a fraction and ended up in rear off the steady pace.

With Ryan Moore content to saunter in front on Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), Hayes opted to sit chilly at the back to save his mount's acceleration as he had with the same target to aim at in the Moyglare in very different conditions back in September. Unleashing a 11.59 penultimate split down the outer as she and Sounds Of Heaven (GB) (Kingman {GB}) made a sandwich of Remarquee (GB) (Kingman {GB}) approaching the furlong pole, Tahiyra had forged ahead by the time the latter was in full flight. Despite Remarquee's eye-catching flourish, a length separated them at the line with a head back to Sounds Of Heaven in third.

There was an inquiry, but the result remained unaltered and Siyouni had his notable St James's Palace-Coronation double. “I can't wait to ride this filly in a truly-run mile race and see what she is really capable of,” Hayes said in the immediate aftermath. “She slipped coming out of the gates, it was Plan B and it was a slow pace so she did well considering she was running at a quickening pace. I knew this filly could over-race and that I could be there too soon, so it wasn't going to be straightforward and I just had to ride her like she was the best filly and the fastest in the field.”

 

For Weld, who saddled Sutton Place to win this in an entirely different era as a young man at the end of his twenties in 1978, this 18th Royal success was proof of the unending expertise of the septuagenarian. “I have been very fortunate in life,” he said. “She has brilliant speed and I suppose she's learning more about racing and getting more professional. I thought she won fair and square. Her sister was a brilliant racemare and this one is equally good. They are different sorts, this one has more pace. I enjoy so much training these fillies, I know the families and do my best to train them.”

Weld is set on giving Tahiyra a break now, after three tough encounters since the start of last month and having openly expressed that Newmarket's 1000 Guineas was coming a touch too soon. “I think the plan always was to give her a nice holiday, a nice break,” he added. “She's had a very busy spring and early summer and we will look at a programme for her in the autumn.”

While Remarquee lost some momentum when checked at the furlong pole, her trainer Ralph Beckett was not feeling unlucky. “She has run her legs off today,” he said. “By the time she did get rolling, the gap was closing–you don't see many of ours with a sheepskin noseband and she wears it because she is still green and has not had that much racing. I am not disappointed with her in the slightest. The Guineas was a non-event–she had only had two starts and is a slow learner! She will go for the Falmouth next, I think that will suit.”

Sounds Of Heaven's jockey Ronan Whelan said, “It was a great run. On paper it looked straightforward from my point of view and thankfully the race went like that. My filly has run a belter and I think there is more to come from her. She is not the finished article yet. She will be better as the year goes on.”

Pedigree Notes
Tahiyra's dam is the Listed Oyster S. and Listed Martin Malony S. winner and G3 Curragh Cup-placed Tarana, whose first foal was the aforementioned triple top-level scorer and Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Tarnawa. The second dam Tarakala (Ire) (Dr Fong) captured the Listed Galtres S. and was third in the G3 Noblesse S. and is related to the G1 Prix Royal-Oak hero and G1 Prix du Cadran runner-up Tiraaz (Lear Fan), the G1 Phoenix S. heroine Damson (Ire) (Entrepreneur {GB}) who took the G2 Queen Mary S. at this meeting in 2004 and that year's G3 Norfolk S. winner Blue Dakota (Ire) (Namid {GB}). Also connected to the G1 Prix Morny-winning sire Arcano (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp heroine Gilt Edge Girl (GB) (Monsieur Bond {Ire}), Tarana has an exciting prospect in the 2-year-old colt Tarafi (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and a yearling filly by Lope De Vega (Ire).

Friday, Royal Ascot, Britain
CORONATION S.-G1, £600,000, Ascot, 6-23, 3yo, f, 7f 213yT, 1:41.69, g/f.
1–TAHIYRA (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Tarana (Ire) (MSW & GSP-Ire, $141,525), by Cape Cross (Ire)
2nd Dam: Tarakala (Ire), by Dr Fong
3rd Dam: Tarakana, by Shahrastani
O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Dermot Weld; J-Chris Hayes. £340,260. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Ire, 5-4-1-0, $1,125,915. *1/2 to Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), MG1SW-Fr, GISW-US, MGSW & G1SP-Ire, $4,508,464. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Remarquee (GB), 128, f, 3, Kingman (GB)–Regardez (GB), by Champs Elysees (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-J H Richmond-Watson; B-Lawn Stud (GB); T-Ralph Beckett. £129,000.
3–Sounds Of Heaven (GB), 128, f, 3, Kingman (GB)–Ring The Bell (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (650,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Craig Bernick & John Camilleri; B-Fairway Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd (GB); T-Jessica Harrington. £64,560.
Margins: 1, HD, 1. Odds: 0.62, 25.00, 16.00.
Also Ran: Meditate (Ire), Queen For You (Ire), Mammas Girl (GB). Scratched: Comhra (Ire).

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Royal Ascot Rematch Between Guineas Winners Tahiyra And Mawj Is On

The rematch between Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) is on at Royal Ascot after Dermot Weld described the latter to have come out of her Irish 1,000 Guineas romp in splendid order. 

Mawj had just a half a length to spare from Tahiyra in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket and, after Tahiyra made little fuss in the Godolphin filly's absence at the Curragh, a mouthwatering rematch between the Classic winners could take place in the G1 Coronation S. at the royal meeting. 

Speaking at a sun-kissed Gowran Park, where he sent out Ghaiyyath (Ire)'s Kingman (GB) half-brother Knight To King (Ire) to sparkle on debut, Weld said, “She came out of the Guineas well. It was a little bit quick to run her back after the English Guineas, but she's taken it well and at the moment we're all set for the Coronation.

“We'll play it by ear with the weather. We'd hope that they'd water it well, it's very dry, quick ground but it was lovely ground at the Curragh.”

He added, “She's got a wonderful turn of pace. She's in good order and the current plan is that we're all set for the Coronation.”

Knight To King could be another Rosewell runner with big-race aspirations this season. Out of Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the 1,000 Guineas for Weld, he couldn't have been more impressive under Chris Hayes and in the colours of Newtown Anner Stud in the 1m1f maiden on Monday.

“He's a really nice colt, he had been working exceptionally well. All the family take a little bit of time and we're in no hurry with him,” said Weld.

“He's come forward in the last few weeks. He's a very good actioned horse, so I didn't bother with him in the spring on heavy ground. Please God, we've lots to look forward to.

“It's a great family for us and he's always shown us talent. He was very immature, mentally and physically but he's coming forward nicely.

“Obviously we'll go into stakes level with him now, there are many ideas in my mind. He's very straightforward and I said if there was no pace to make the running on him. The one thing we didn't want was a messy race with no pace.

“He was out there in front, he has a lot to learn. I think he jumped the road and Chris said he looked at everything. He'll learn a lot today and he's a really good colt in the making.

Four-time Group One winner Ghaiyyath and Man o' War Stakes winner Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) feature among his half-siblings and Weld feels Knight To King compares favourably.

He said, “I think he's pretty similar to them. They all progress and get better with age, they are all very good. Hopefully he'll follow in their footsteps.

“He showed so much pace the other morning that I was surprised, in some ways, but he's bred to get a mile-and-a-half. We have a very nice full-brother to Ghaiyyath called Duraji (Ire) that we like a lot.”

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Observations: Son of Nightime Debuts at Gowran

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Monday's insights features the debut of Knight to King, the 11th foal out of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Nightime.

15.37 Gowran Park, Mdn, €12,500, 3yo/up, 9f 100yT
KNIGHT TO KING (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) is the 11th foal out of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and only the third that Dermot Weld has trained including the GI Man o'War S. winner Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Newtown Anner Stud Farm own the April-foaled bay, whose most famous half-sibling is Godolphin's brilliant Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), and he is expected to trade short for this belated racecourse bow.

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Death of Gold Cup Winner Rite Of Passage Confirmed

The Irish National Stud has confirmed the passing of 2010 Ascot Gold Cup hero Rite Of Passage (GB) (Giant's Causeway–Dahlia's Krissy, by Kris S). He was 19.

INS CEO Cathal Beale said, “Coming on the back of the recent loss of Kicking King, it is a sad day to report the passing of Rite Of Passage. He was a lovely, gentle horse who lived out his days receiving the greatest of care from all the team here. He will be deeply missed by all of us.”

Trained by Dermot Weld for owner Dr. Ronan Lambe, Rite Of Passage placed twice at the Cheltenham Festival, finishing third in the 2009 Champion Bumper and the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle the following season. Following a three-month break, the Newsells Park Stud-bred returned to win at the Royal meeting under Pat Smullen. Rite Of Passage ran twice more after that success, winning the 2012 British Champions Long Distance Cup off a 510-day break on what was the final outing of his 12-race career.

“He was difficult to keep sound, but he was an extremely talented and courageous racehorse,” recalled Weld. “His performance in the Gold Cup was one of the best for many decades.”

“He had a wonderful retirement in the National Stud, he looked magnificent and his fabulous care is a great credit to the team at the National Stud. When I went to see him recently, he came straight over to me and reminded me of what an outstanding individual he was.”

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