Tahiyra sweeps into the lead turning for home © Photo Healy Racing
Dermot Weld got off the mark in this year's Galway Festival through the ultra-impressive newcomer Tahiyra in the juvenile fillies' maiden.
She broke nicely from the stalls in this seven-furlong assignment and slotted in behind Remind
The Siyouni filly travelled smoothly for Chris Hayes and loomed large on the shoulder of the leader approaching the home bend.
She took it up entering the straight was ridden clear inside the final furlong to score by a decisive five and a half lengths at 7/2. Dower House the 5/6 favourite was unable to land a glove on the winner and had to settle for second. She was two and three quarter lengths in front of Remind (5/1).
Weld has now won 15 of the last 33 renewals of this race. Tahiyra is a half sister of the stable's top-class Tarnawa. She holds an entry in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.
“She'd been working very well and I was pleased with her. She's a slightly smaller edition than Tarnawa, her brilliant sister. She's done everything right,” said Weld.
“At this stage she probably has more pace than Tarnawa, she's by Siyouni so you'd expect that.
“Let's hope she has the wonderful courage and constitution that Tarnawa had, who was a multiple Group 1 winner around the world for me.
“This filly is very talented in her own right. She has a lot of the characteristics of her sister, she's very similar in many ways and she showed immediate talent.
“This had been my plan for a while, it's onwards and upwards with her. We'll see how she comes out of her race but she'll go at stakes level next time.
“My horses have been a bit out of form, we had a little virus towards the end of the spring and early summer and it has taken me a long time to get shot of it and to get everything clear. It wasn't easy to identify but I'm happy now we've everything right.”
Paddy Power gave Tahiyra a first show of 20/1 for the 1,000 Guineas.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
