By Tom Frary
Becoming the 10th TDN Rising Star for Siyouni (Fr), who carried that mantle himself, The Aga Khan's Azada (Ire) conquered Leopardstown's deep surface to make the ideal start to her career in the seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden on Saturday. Out of Azmiyna (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose son The Autumn Sun (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) carried all before him in Australia, the 4-1 shot raced with two behind early after a tardy break from her wide draw. Cajoled forward by Leigh Roche from three out, the Dermot Weld-trained homebred swooped on Harbour Gem (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) 150 yards from the finish en route to a 2 1/2-length success, with another experienced rival in Fleur De Chine (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}) half a length further behind in third.
The Weld stable had won four of the last 10 renewals of this, including two of the last three with this owner-breeder's runners including 12 months ago with the subsequent G1 Irish 1000 Guineas fourth Tarawa (Ire) (Shamardal). Dermot's son Kris was on hand to give his verdict. “The ground is atrocious, but we are lucky to be here at all,” he said of the winner, who represents the same cross as Sottsass (Fr) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr). “She is a beautifully-bred filly and she came home well when the penny dropped. To come from there on that kind of ground and win you would have to be impressed. Hopefully she will make up into a stakes filly next year. She is a big, immature filly and you would like to think there will be an awful lot of improvement in her. There is plenty to look forward to and she can go up in distance.”
Of Siyouni's other nine TDN Rising Stars, Paddington (GB) and these connections' Tahiyra (Ire) are the obvious stand-outs.
1st-Leopardstown, €16,000, Mdn, 10-21, 2yo, f, 7f 23yT, 1:40.08, hy.
AZADA (IRE), f, 2, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Azmiyna (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Asmara, by Lear Fan
3rd Dam: Anaza (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $10,171. O-H H Aga Khan; B-His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
👀 Azada produced a decent turn of foot to win the @IrishEBF_ Fillies Maiden at @LeopardstownRC earlier today and looks a nice prospect for Dermot Weld and the @AgaKhanStuds team 🐎 pic.twitter.com/CBkYApIY71
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 21, 2023
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