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.”
👀 How about this for a debut win!
Knight To King (Kingman) is a half-brother to G1 scorer Ghaiyyath & runs out a ready winner of the Kings Of Ossory (C & G) Maiden for Dermot Weld & @chrishayes24 at @GowranPark1 pic.twitter.com/DxTxXq7Amk
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) June 5, 2023
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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