By Tom Frary
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.”
Tahiyra is all class as she wins the Coronation Stakes for @chrishayes24 and Dermot Weld at #RoyalAscot! @Ascot pic.twitter.com/AW6nFP0Zw6
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 23, 2023
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).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
