TAHIYRA

A filly by Siyouni out of Tarana, Tahiyra was always bound to garner attention as a half-sister to three-time Group 1 winning jetsetter Tarnawa.

Her five-and-a-half-length debut victory in a maiden at Galway in July prompted her trainer to pitch her straight into Group 1 company on her next outing. The easy manner of her subsequent victory over the much more experienced Group winner Mediate sent Tahiyra straight to the head of the market for the 2023 Classics, and earned her a place at the head of the rankings for Timeform top-rated 2yo filly of 2022. 

Tahiyra started her 2023 season with a bang, running a close second to Mawj in the Gr.1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, despite it being only her third racecourse start. A couple of weeks later, she went one better to win the Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh by a length and a half, in the process completing a memorable weekend Classic double for her sire Siyouni, who had won the Irish 2000 Guineas the previous day with Paddington. 

Like Paddington, Tahiyra’s next appearance was at Royal Ascot. While Paddington took the St James’s Palace Stakes on day one of the prestigious meeting, Tahiyra won the Coronation Stakes for H.H. the Aga Khan, 100 years after his grandfather the Aga Khan III enjoyed a double in the race with Paola and Teresina. 

“She has brilliant speed and I suppose she's learning more about racing and getting more professional,” said trainer Dermot Weld of the now triple Group 1 winning filly. “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.”

Princess Zahra Aga Khan added: "She not only has an amazing acceleration but she can keep it going - that’s what you’re really looking for. My father always said, 'You want latent speed but also acceleration'. I think Siyouni certainly brings that to his offspring, and also physical shape. She's a good-size horse. It was a Classic distance family but breeding to speed in multiple generations, you then get a turn of foot."

A short spell at Gilltown Stud followed  her trip to Royal Ascot, before Tahiyra made her next appearance at Leopardstown over Irish Champions Weekend. Here she picked up her fourth Group 1 victory, winning the Matron Stakes while facing her elders for the first time in her career.