Dermot Weld reports Tahiyra to have returned from Newmarket in good form following her brave second in the Qipco 1000 Guineas.
Making just her third start in the one-mile Classic, the daughter of Siyouni was sent off the 6-4 favourite in the hands of Chris Hayes and belied her trainer’s pre-race trepidation the race may have come a touch too soon by fighting out a thrilling finish with the Saeed bin Suroor-trained winner Mawj.
Ultimately the lack of a prep run may have played its part, but the Rosewell House handler described her performance as “excellent” and she lost little in defeat up against the race-fit winner.
Tahiyra and Chris Hayes going to post before the Qipco 1000 Guineas (Nigel French/PA)
Tahiyra holds entries in both the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot where a rematch with Mawj is a possibility, but although happy his filly has recovered from her Rowley Mile exertions well, Weld will now take his time before electing a next port of call.
He said: “She’s come out of her excellent run at Newmarket very well, but no decisions will be made about her next start for another few weeks, certainly until closer to the Irish 1,000 Guineas.
“She ran an excellent race and has come out of it well.”
A plan is also yet to be finalised for the improving Azazat who built on an encouraging third to Betfred Oaks favourite Savethelastdance to open her account in style at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Azazat ridden by jockey Colin Keane (centre) on their way to winning the Captain Dara Fitzpatrick Memorial Maiden during Derby Trial Day at Leopardstown (Brian Lawless/PA)
Azazat herself is a best price of 16-1 for the Epsom Classic on June 2, but the daughter of Camelot also holds an entry in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte Irish Oaks later in the season.
“She did it very well on Sunday,” continued Weld. “In her race previously she was beaten by Savethelastdance and I thought she did it very well.
“We’re likely to make a decision next week where she will run next and all options are on the table and are open.”
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Falcon Eight has been a standing dish in the tote Chester Cup in recent years and Dermot Weld’s 2021 champion is back for another crack at the Roodee marathon.
The eight-year-old recorded a famous victory in the hands of Frankie Dettori off a mark of 104 two years ago before finishing a respectable fifth in defence of his crown off a 5lb higher figure here 12 months ago.
He is 1lb lower this time around with Ryan Moore taking over in the saddle, but the Rosewell House handler is concerned that is still a hefty weight to shoulder.
“He’s got a big weight to carry, 9st 12lb and he’s rated 4lb higher than when he won it. He’s also two years older so it’s a difficult task to be honest,” said Weld.
Falcon Eight (left) running in the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)
“He’s very well and I expect him to run well. He usually always runs a good race, but he’s two years older than when he won it previously and he has 4lb more to carry. But the horse himself is in very good form.”
Rajinsky was third last year and claimed the scalp of Trueshan at Nottingham earlier this season. He is one of two in the race for Hugo Palmer, who envisages his charge bouncing back from his Sagaro Stakes disappointment now back on an easier surface.
“Rajinsky seems in good form, the ground got too quick for him at Ascot the other day but any rain will help him,” said Palmer.
“He ran so well in the race last year and his run at Nottingham would put him up there with a pretty good chance.”
Rajinsky and Harry Davies (orange) coming home to win the Barry Hills Further Flight Stakes at Nottingham (Joe Giddens/PA)
The Manor House Stables handler is also represented by the reappearing Zoffee who was last seen finishing fourth in the Cesarewitch.
“Zoffee wouldn’t want the ground to get too soft,” continued Palmer.
“He had a really good year (last season), in my mind our main target with him would be trying to add the Northumberland Plate to the Northumberland Vase he won last year.
“We’ve got to start off somewhere and he’s ready to go so we’re looking forward to running him.”
Another handler double-handed is Richard Hughes who has called for one of his old weighing-room colleagues Jamie Spencer to partner Calling The Wind, while one of the newest names among the riding fraternity, Billy Loughnane, removes 3lb off Bascule.
The former finished a place ahead of Falcon Eight when third in the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot and has dropped to the same rating he finished third off in the 2021 Cesarewitch.
“I think Calling The Wind is well in,” said Hughes. “I beat the favourite over two and a half miles at Ascot off level weights and I think I have him pretty good. He has had his prep race and that went well.
“I’m very hopeful he will have a good run round. He ran a very good race under Jamie Spencer in the November Handicap (in 2021), I think he will suit him.”
Calling The Wind winning the Betfred “Thanks To The NHS” Handicap at Ascot (Francesca Altoft/PA)
He went on “I thought taking 3lb off Bascule might help him.
“If you worked the two of them at home you wouldn’t say that Calling The Wind could give him that much weight. It may be a different story on the track but he always runs a good race does Bascule.”
Handed a plum draw in stall two is Dominic Ffrench Davis’ Call My Bluff, who bumped into the progressive Novel Legend on seasonal bow at Newbury, but has some smart course form to his name.
“He’s got a very obvious chance,” said the handler. “He loves Chester, loves soft ground and has a very good draw.
“He needed the run first time out (at Newbury), he looked like he had set sail for home and then just tired a bit which let the Fanshawe horse (Novel Legend) in a little bit.”
Getting the better of Call My Bluff in the Watergate Cup over track and trip last term was Emiyn who has since placed in the November Handicap and run respectably in Musselburgh’s Queen’s Cup before an underwhelming effort at Thirsk most recently.
Trainer Declan Carroll is confident he can bounce back from that and said: “We’ve been pleased with him and he has been training well.
“He has to bounce back from a disappointing effort his last run, but we’ve been happy with him since that. He will like the ground and any more rain that will come will not inconvenience him at all.
“He has a good draw which can only be an advantage because he goes forward in his races. He’s a keen-going sort and he likes to go forward. It’s a very competitive race as it should be at this level but we’re looking forward to it anyway.”
One guaranteed to relish testing conditions on the Roodee is Harry Fry’s mud-loving Metier – who has always had this contest on his radar.
Fry said: “We’ve been working towards this albeit fully aware we would need conditions to suit, so I was delighted to see it raining heavy there and conditions have come in our favour.
“He ran a great race behind Wise Eagle who was runner-up in the Sagaro Stakes at Musselburgh in the Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh and the step up in trip here is a positive.
“He is really well in himself and we’re looking forward to him taking his chance.”
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The Aga Khan may have been narrowly denied Qipco 1000 Guineas success at Newmarket, but there was at least some compensation at Leopardstown, where the owner enjoyed a double.
Whereas the vanquished Rowley Mile runner-up Tahiyra has already proven herself as a top-class operator, trainer Dermot Weld and the owner could have another on their hands in Azazat, who built on an encouraging third at the Dublin track last month to win the Captain Dara Fitzpatrick Memorial Maiden in impressive fashion.
The Camelot filly, sent off the 4-6 favourite, relished the move up to a mile-and-a-half and holds some exciting options moving forward, with entries in the Betfred Oaks and Irish equivalent at the Curragh. Ascot’s Ribblesdale Stakes is also a possibility, with her sights set to be raised on her next start.
“Colin was very happy with her,” said Kris Weld, assistant trainer to his father. “We took a gamble on two fronts, firstly taking on the colts and secondly, the rain overnight turning the ground close to heavy wasn’t ideal for her.
“They are getting through it and the timing of the race suited well, so we let her take her chance.
“She’s entered in the Ribblesdale and the Oaks. We’ll take it step by step and maybe a race like the Naas Oaks Trial might fit in her programme. She’s a nice filly going forward.”
Also in the colours of the renowned owner, Johnny Murtagh’s Sharlouk (6-5 favourite) broke his duck at the third time of asking in the opening John R Fitzpatrick Agricultural Contractor Maiden.
Sharlouk ridden by Ben Coen wins The John R Fitzpatrick Agricultural Contractor Maiden at Leopardstown (Brian Lawless/PA)
“He’s improving and probably didn’t stay the distance the last time. He travels like a very good horse in behind. He’s still learning,” said Murtagh.
“He’s a big, gross horse so I think he’ll improve with a bit of racing, but he has an engine.
“I’ve no firm plans but I’ll speak with Pat (Downes, racing manager) and the team.
“He cruises very well and, being by Zoustar, you would like to thing he would handle better ground as well.”
However, the owner missed out on a treble when Aidan O’Brien’s Warm Heart (13-8 favourite) claimed the other maiden on the card – the 10-furlong Clayton Hotel Leopardstown Fillies Maiden – by a length-and-a- quarter.
Warm Heart ridden by jockey Wayne Lordan (right) wins the Clayton Hotel Leopardstown Fillies Maiden (Brian Lawless/PA)
She was cut from 25-1 from 33-1 by Betfair for the Oaks and connections hope she could become a stakes performer in time.
“She’s a lovely filly and had two nice runs in maidens,” said Chris Armstrong, representing O’Brien.
“Coming here we thought she’d be very competitive stepping up in trip and Wayne (Lordan) gave her a lovely ride. It was a proper-run maiden from start to finish.
“She is a filly with plenty of class and one to look forward to over that trip. She could get a bit further, but there are plenty of lovely races for her at a mile and a quarter.
“Hopefully she is a stakes filly in the making.”
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Dermot Weld felt the lack of a recent run cost Tahiyra, who finished a close-up second to Mawj in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
The Aga Khan-owned daughter of Siyouni had been vastly impressive when taking the Moyglare on her last run in September.
However, her trainer felt that she would have benefitted from an extra couple of weeks and having made a tardy start from the stalls in the mile fillies’ Classic, she had plenty of ground to make up.
Mawj (9-1) brilliantly wins the QIPCO 1000 Guineas Stakes @NewmarketRace!
The fact that Chris Hayes’ mount got within half a length of the Saeed bin Suroor-trained winner, following a ding-dong battle from the dip, said plenty about her ability.
After the 6-4 favourite’s defeat, Weld said: “She ran a big race, probably the ground was a shade slow for her.
“We know she has a lot of pace, a lot of speed. She has run a wonderful race – she was seven and a half lengths ahead of the third.
“She has run a very good race. The ground just takes the real speed off her. She’s run, she’s quickened, and Chris Hayes has probably told you that there is another gear there we didn’t just quite get today.
“I’m thrilled with her, she has put in a wonderful performance. I would like to have seen the head-on, as Chris did feel she was carried across a bit.”
Weld left it until late before giving Tahiyra the go-ahead for Newmarket, after he felt she could have done with a little more time.
He explained: “Because of the weather and things we had, I had to be careful of my training of her.
“I would have liked to have got a prep race before today. She only had two runs as a two-year-old.
“The ideal plan was to give her a run in Classic trial a couple of weeks ago. The ground has been very heavy and I didn’t want to pull the guts out of her.
“So we came into the race slightly undercooked. We had her 95 per cent and we didn’t have her 100 per cent and we have got beaten half a length.”
When asked about the possibility of running in the Irish equivalent in two weeks’ time, Weld added: “We’ll see how she comes out of the race. She has had a tough, hard race. I have another Aga Khan filly called Tarawa that ran a very nice prep for the Irish Guineas at Leopardstown today – she was second (to Zarinsk). She is a very sweet filly and she was always on my mind for that, but let’s see.
Tahiyra was touched off by Mawj in the Qipco 1000 Guineas (Nigel French/PA)
“I’m very proud of her – she has run a great race. There’s lots of places we can go with her – she’s run big. I’m delighted with her. Full marks to the winner.”
Kieran Cotter will send Matilda Picotte to the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot after her third-place finish under Ronan Whelan.
Like the winner, she had a busy juvenile campaign, running six times, although she was trying a mile for the first time, having finished runner-up to Never Ending Story at Leopardstown on her three-year-old debut.
Matilda Picotte ran a cracker to finish third (Niall Carson/PA)
Cotter said: “We are all here and are absolutely over the moon. It was brilliant – she got some cheer in the stands, I can tell you. There are about 20 or 30 of us here.
“We said coming here that third was up for grabs and we knew we had a serious chance of third. We knew she’d be running on fresh air late on, but she is a marvellous filly.
“The track is tailor-made for her, because she has so much pace and she can trap down, cruise down into the dip for the climb home.
“I doubt she will run over the mile again. We’ll go back down to six (furlongs) for the Commonwealth Cup. I think she’ll go straight there to Royal Ascot. We’ll make sure we enjoy the celebrations!”
Joe Fanning, who rode Dance In The Grass to finish fifth at odds of 200-1, felt she would benefit for going up in distance after staying on well.
Dance In The Grass was a fair fifth (Tim Goode/PA)
He said: “She ran a great race, I just got lost a bit halfway. She stayed on very well and is crying out for extra trip.”
Ryan Moore was a place behind aboard Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf winner, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Meditate.
“She ran respectably. The ground wouldn’t have been in her favour,” Moore said.
Olivia Maralda (125-1) was seventh under David Egan, who said: “I was pleased with the way she ran and I think she’ll be a better filly on top of the ground.
“I thought she was going to be fourth best the last two furlongs, but being on that tacky ground on the last couple of hundred yards up the hill caught her out. She’s a tough filly.”
Frankie Dettori had to settle for eighth on Lezoo (John Walton/PA)
Frankie Dettori, victorious aboard Chaldean in the 2000 Guineas on Saturday, was eighth on his final 1000 Guineas ride.
His mount, Lezoo, was always up against it on ground that was too soft for her.
He said: “We tried but we’ll go back to sprinting.”
In contrast, 17-year-old sensation Billy Loughnane was having his first ride in a Classic and finished 14th aboard another 200-1 chance, Sweet Harmony.
He said: “It was a good run. Me and Spence (trainer Richard Spencer) thought we’d try something (and race on the near side) as it hadn’t been raced on for the last few days.
“It probably didn’t pay off in the end, but she’s run well and she’ll be putting her head in front soon.
“That was a class experience. It’s amazing the speed they go in those races! She’s run a cracker.”
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Zarinsk dictated affairs to run out a convincing winner the Cornelscourt Stakes as Ger Lyons and Colin Keane enjoyed a big-race double at Leopardstown.
The daughter of Kodiac was a classy operator at two and was not disgraced on her return here when third behind Aidan O’Brien’s Classic contender Never Ending Story over seven furlongs in the “Priory Belle” 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes – form significantly boosted by the effort of runner-up Matilda Picotte in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Upped to a mile for this Group Three event, the Juddmonte-owned filly was quickly to the fore under and once Keane kicked for home rounding the home bend the 11-2 shot soon drew clear of the chasing pack who were unable to reel her in close home.
Zarinsk (11-2) makes pretty much all of the running in the Group 3 Cornelscourt Stakes @LeopardstownRC 👀@ctkjockey was bold and brave from the front, but he had an ultra-willing parter in the three-year-old daughter of Kodiac. pic.twitter.com/3LbUDPUn6K
“She’s honest and is surprisingly light compared to what she looks like. I don’t think ground is any issue to her. That ground is horrible, good ground would be no problem to her,” said Lyons.
“It’s pure heart that keeps her doing that. I’d love her to relax more and help him get it a bit easier.
“It’s been all about black type for her and we’ll go Group Two with the hope that she matures into a horse for here on (Irish) Champions Weekend.
“As Colin says if she is going to be at the very top table it might be over in America.”
In the very next race the trainer and jockey combined to land the Group Three Amethyst Stakes with Power Under Me (9-1).
Power Under Me (front) ridden by jockey Colin Keane wins the Amethyst Stakes at Leopardstown (Brian Lawless/PA)
A Listed winner over course and distance last October, the five-year-old came home with a late rattle to down Fozzy Stack’s You Send Me by half a length.
“That’s more like it, but Colin said it turned into a bit of a sprint which probably suited him and maybe gives a false reading on the horse,” Lyons continued.
“He’s probably between trips, not an out-an-out miler and not quick enough for the proper sprints anymore.
“He loves the ground and you can see that with his confirmation and his action. I thought that type of race was within his remit but his last two runs didn’t fill me with any confidence.
Power Under Me (9-1) bounces back to form in the Group 3 Amethyst Stakes @LeopardstownRC 🏇
Ger Lyons' five-year-old had underperformed on his first two starts this season, but this time makes absolutely no mistake under @ctkjockeypic.twitter.com/mqTFF0qHUj
“Seven furlongs to a mile and Listed or Group Three is his thing. You will never see him on anything quicker than good to soft.
“The only negative is that Vincent (Gaul, owner) is not here today as he’s at home at a house party. He loves his racing and it’s a pity he’s not here to see him.”
The victory brought up a 107-1 treble on the card for Keane having also won aboard Dermot Weld’s Azazat earlier on the card.
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2.72063761-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDaveM2023-05-07 16:40:072023-05-07 16:40:07Zarinsk and Power Under Me at the double for Lyons
Chris Hayes is determined to enjoy the fact he is riding the favourite Tahiyra in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday.
Not seen since a scintillating display in the Moyglare Stud Stakes on just her second start, the unbeaten Dermot Weld-trained filly has headed the market for the Classic all winter.
There had been some doubt as to whether she would be ready in time for Newmarket, but Weld confirmed earlier in the week she would take her chance and Hayes is understandably delighted.
“It’s great she’s been declared. Obviously she was very impressive last year and you’d have to be looking forward to her. To get the chance to ride the favourite in any English or Irish Classic is special, so we’ll enjoy it and hope for a bit of luck,” he said.
🇮🇪🌟 Wow – Tahiyra powers past Meditate to win the (Group 1) Moyglare Stud Stakes on just her second start for Dermot Weld!
“Before Galway, she just felt a like a special filly in her work. She’d never blow you away but she just felt different, everything came with an ease to her. She excited me in Galway and when I got off that day, I felt she could potentially be a Group One filly.
“But if you’d said to me she would go and win the Moyglare next time, I wouldn’t have believed you and anybody being honest would say the same – to take that step up and put a field of that quality to bed with 100 yards to go, I don’t think anybody would have thought that.
“She looked terribly exciting that day, she seems to have wintered well so I’m looking forward to it.
“If I’m honest, since I got off her at the Curragh I’ve been looking forward to her next race tremendously. I just love riding her as she’s a pleasure to do anything with.”
Hayes won the Irish 1,000 Guineas on Weld’s Homeless Songs last year and is savouring the link with another potential star.
Chris Hayes celebrates winning the Moyglare Stud Stakes on Tahiyra (Donall Farmer/PA)
“I’m very excited, to get on any favourite in a Classic is rare, for me it’s the stuff of dreams so we’ll see what we can do. She’s in good shape and she’s trained by the right man, hopefully things go well,” he said.
“Meditate ran her race in the Moyglare, I know they said the ground was slower than ideal for her but we drew a long way clear of the third. Her form is rock solid.
“Obviously, like the boss has said, there’s always the question if they train on from two to three, but on her home work she appears to have and she’s just a pleasure. She’ll never get you excited going up the gallops but she turns it on at the races.
“That Moyglare form is rock solid and I certainly wouldn’t swap her for anything else.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Meditate was subsequently second in the Cheveley Park Stakes and then went to Keeneland where she won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf over a mile.
Lezoo is the mount of Frankie Dettori (David Davies/PA)
The winner of the Cheveley Park was the Ralph Beckett-trained Lezoo, the mount of Frankie Dettori, but she will be stepping up two furlongs in distance.
According to the market, Beckett’s first string is the Fred Darling winner Remarquee, who will be ridden by Rob Hornby.
Saeed bin Suroor’s Mawj will team up with Oisin Murphy for the first time after winning twice at Meydan earlier in the year.
In the first of those victories she beat Dream Of Love, while in the second she was a long way clear of Fairy Cross. Both of those are trained by Charlie Appleby and will attempt to gain their revenge.
Mammas Girl was an impressive winner of the Nell Gwyn (Tim Goode/PA)
Mammas Girl was impressive in the Nell Gwyn for Richard Hannon and is another unbeaten contender and she will be joined be stablemate Powerdress
Polly Pott, now with Ben Pauling following the retirement of Harry Dunlop, is another Group winner in the race.
Caernarfon will attempt to give Jack Channon a Classic winner in his first season, Matilda Picotte represents Kieran Cotter while Billy Loughnane continues his rapid ascent through the ranks with a first Guineas ride on Richard Spencer’s outsider Sweet Harmony.
Only Beckett’s Juliet Sierra and O’Brien’s Never Ending Story were not declared at the 48-hour stage.
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Tahiyra will attempt to maintain her unbeaten record as she takes on 19 rivals in Sunday’s Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Trained by Dermot Weld and owned by the Aga Khan, Tahiyra went straight from winning her maiden into Group One company for the Moyglare Stud Stakes and was an impressive two-and-a-quarter-length winner.
Back in second that day was Aidan O’Brien’s Meditate and the two will clash again.
O’Brien’s filly was subsequently second in the Cheveley Park Stakes and then went to Keeneland where she won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf over a mile.
Lezoo is the mount of Frankie Dettori (David Davies/PA)
The winner of the Cheveley Park was the Ralph Beckett-trained Lezoo, the mount of Frankie Dettori, but she will be stepping up two furlongs in distance.
According to the market, Beckett’s first string is the Fred Darling winner Remarquee, who will be ridden by Rob Hornby.
Saeed bin Suroor’s Mawj will team up with Oisin Murphy for the first time after winning twice at Meydan earlier in the year.
In the first of those victories she beat Dream Of Love, while in the second she was a long way clear of Fairy Cross. Both of those are trained by Charlie Appleby and will attempt to gain their revenge.
Mammas Girl was an impressive winner of the Nell Gwyn (Tim Goode/PA)
Mammas Girl was impressive in the Nell Gwyn for Richard Hannon and is another unbeaten contender and she will be joined be stablemate Powerdress
Polly Pott, now with Ben Pauling following the retirement of Harry Dunlop, is another Group winner in the race.
Caernarfon will attempt to give Jack Channon a Classic winner in his first season, Matilda Picotte represents Kieran Cotter while Billy Loughnane continues his rapid ascent through the ranks with a first Guineas ride on Richard Spencer’s outsider Sweet Harmony.
Only Beckett’s Juliet Sierra and O’Brien’s Never Ending Story were not declared at the 48-hour stage.
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Dermot Weld’s Tahiyra features amongst the 22 confirmations for the Qipco 1000 Guineas, the opening fillies Classic of the season.
The daughter of Siyouni is unbeaten in two outings having followed up an impressive debut victory at Galway by downing Aidan O’Brien’s Breeders’ Cup heroine Meditate in the Moyglare Stud Stakes last September and she has held a position towards the top of the ante-post lists ever since.
Tahiyra and Meditate dominate the top of the market for Sunday’s race at Newmarket and Weld has issued an update suggesting the favourite is likely to line up.
🇮🇪🌟 Wow – Tahiyra powers past Meditate to win the (Group 1) Moyglare Stud Stakes on just her second start for Dermot Weld!
“We’ve left her in at the forfeit stage for the 1000 Guineas on Sunday and the present thought is she will run, but we will make a definite decision later in the week and see how she is,” Weld told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast.
“She’s coming all the time, she’s a filly that hasn’t really grown from two to three but I’m happy and I think she has progressed nicely over the last two weeks and the present thought is we will let her take her chance. We will not confirm that till later in the week.”
As well as Meditate O’Brien could saddle Never Ending Story, with Kieran Cotter’s Matilda Picotte, second to Never Ending Story recently, also on course for a raiding mission.
Richard Hannon leads the British charge with his Nell Gwyn winner Mammas Girl and could also be represented by Powerdress, while as well as Mammas Girl, owners Amo Racing could see Olivia Maralda make her debut for Roger Varian in the race.
Mammas Girl winning the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket (Tim Goode/PA)
Mawj got the better of Dream Of Love by a short head on her first run at Meydan before going on to trounce Nell Gwyn runner-up Fairy Cross in the next time out and that trio give Godolphin a strong hand in a race they last won in 2011 with Blue Bunting.
Ralph Beckett could saddle three in search of his first victory in the race with Fred Darling winner Remarquee, last year’s Cheveley Park champion Lezoo and Dick Poole winner Juliet Sierra all poised to step out onto the Rowley Mile.
It will be Lezoo’s first outing since storming to victory at the track last autumn and connections are keen to praise the efforts of the team at Beckett’s Hampshire base for ensuring their star filly makes the line-up.
Lezoo powered to victory in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket (David Davies/PA)
“Lezoo goes for the 1000 Guineas and it’s a great feat by the team at Kimpton to have both Lezoo ready to run and Prosperous Voyage who will run in the Dahlia Stakes that day. Hopefully Frankie will ride both of them,” said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager for owners Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen.
“That’s a fair achievement and so much can go wrong – we’ve had a very cold and wet spring – and we’re really happy to be heading there on Sunday.”
Of those not confirmed, Karl Burke’s Electric Eyes was shortest in the betting, while John Quinn’s Breege and John and Thady Gosden’s Running Lion are other notable names to skip the May 7 contest.
Dermot Weld will give Tahiyra a workout later this week before determining whether or not she will take her place in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday week.
The Aga Khan’s beautifully-bred daughter of Siyouni is vying for favouritism with Meditate for the fillies’ Classic at Newmarket, having beaten Aidan O’Brien’s multiple Group One winner in a strong renewal of the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.
That two-and-a-quarter-length victory, her second in two starts, came on her last run in September, with Meditate subsequently franking the form when taking the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland in November.
Pat Downes, who manages the Aga Khan’s Irish studs, reported Tahiyra in fine fettle ahead of a possible run on the Rowley Mile.
He said: “She is in great form and had a great winter, and we are very happy with her.
“Dermot has been keeping all his options open until he couldn’t – until he has to make a final decision. And that’s pretty much where we’re at.
“She will be doing a bit of work this week and I would imagine after this week we will be making a decision as to where she is likely to go.
“Meditate more than franked the form of the Moyglare in the Breeders’ Cup and she is very exciting. We are really looking forward to seeing her run again and see what happens from two to three.”
A half-sister to Tarnawa, who won the Prix Vermeille, Prix de l’Opera and the Breeders’ Cup Turf for Weld in 2020, Tahiyra has abundant stamina in her pedigree.
However, she showed plenty of speed in taking the seven-furlong Moyglare and may not prove herself to be an Oaks filly.
Downes added: “We couldn’t be happier with her – she’s in a very good place and we’re really pleased with her.
“We will take it one step at a time. Her sister maybe stayed better than we would have expected her to do, and as Dermot correctly said, Tahiyra shows more speed than Tanarwa did, so what her optimum trip will be in due course I really wouldn’t be able to say at this stage.”
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2.68764753-1-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDaveM2023-04-24 15:25:492023-04-24 15:25:49Tahiyra ‘in great form’ – but no decision yet on Newmarket
Dermot Weld is in no rush to commit ante-post favourite Tahiyra to the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, with the Irish and French versions also under consideration.
A brilliant winner of the Moyglare Stud Stakes from subsequent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Meditate, she has led the betting for the Newmarket Classic for some time.
However, Weld has offered no assurances the Aga Khan-owned filly will turn up at Newmarket and will only be swayed by the well-being of the half-sister to Tarnawa.
“I’m very satisfied with her, she’s wintered well. We had a very dry February and then a very wet March, so I’ve taken my time with her but I’m satisfied,” he told Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast.
🇮🇪🌟 Wow – Tahiyra powers past Meditate to win the (Group 1) Moyglare Stud Stakes on just her second start for Dermot Weld!
“We’ve made no decision yet where she may start off. It may be the Irish Guineas, the French Guineas or the English Guineas but no decision will be made until later in the month, it depends on how she’s working.
“Some fillies come early in the season, some fillies take a little longer. It’s not a question of which Guineas (suits best), she’ll tell me when she’s ready.
“Horses grow their coat in the winter and in the spring they shed it. If you get a nice, mild spring obviously it happens quicker, but if you get a wet spring and cold weather, obviously they hold on to their coats a little longer and with fillies their performance is affected, it’s nature.
“I think she could well go 10 furlongs (later in the season). Tarnawa got a mile and a half – she won the Vermeille, the Breeders’ Cup (Turf) – but I’d say this filly has more pace, so we’d be happy over a mile at the moment.”
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2.68764753-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDaveM2023-04-03 13:48:122023-04-03 13:48:12Weld not rushing to make Tahiyra Classic call
