Stars align as the unbeaten Tahiyra thrills in Moyglare Stud Stakes

On the 100th anniversary of the Aga Khan Studs there was a fitting tribute paid by Tahiyra, an unbeaten daughter of the operation's star sire Siyouni and a brilliant winner of the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

The Dermot Weld-trained two-year-old had only one run before her Group 1 success when running out a near six-length winner of a maiden at Galway in July. Her two and a quarter length defeat of the previously unbeaten Meditate rates her as a top-class prospect not just for now but also next year, a clue which can be read through her pedigree.

Tahiyra is out of the Cape Cross mare Tarana, the winner of three races for John Oxx including two Listed events. Tarana, a half-sister to a handful of winners, now has the distinction of producing two top-flight heroines as she is also the dam of Tarnawa.

The daughter of Darley's late stalwart Shamardal, Tarnawa won her three Group or Grade 1 races in the autumn of her four-year-old career, namely the Prix Vermeille, Prix de l'Opera and Breeders' Cup Turf.

Tarnawa was placed on all three starts at two, including when third on debut to subsequent English and Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Hermosa at Galway, while her three-year-old campaign included wins in the Blandford, Blue Wind and Give Thanks Stakes.

The now six-year-old retired last term after landing the Ballyroan Stakes on return and finishing second to St Mark's Basilica and Torquator Tasso in the Irish Champion Stakes and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe respectively.

Tarnawa visited reigning champion sire Frankel for her first covering this spring, with Pat Downes, manager of the Aga Khan's Irish studs, saying on Nick Luck's podcast: "She will travel to the UK to be covered by Frankel, which we are very excited about."

Tahiyra is a seventh individual Group 1 winner for Siyouni, who stands at the Aga Khan's Haras de Bonneval. Some of the top-class names sired by the son of Pivotal include last year's European champion St Mark's Basilica, Arc and Prix du Jockey Club hero Sottsass and the ultra game multiple Group 1 scorer Laurens.

The other juvenile Group 1 contest on the card fell to Al Riffa, a son of Wootton Bassett who provided the Coolmore sire with his sixth top-flight winner.

Bred by Sarl de Chambure and Haras d'Etreham, the attractive bay was making it two wins from three starts. He is out of the unraced Galileo mare Love On My Mind, a full-sister to Sagaro Stakes scorer and Ascot Gold Cup second Mizzou as well as being related to two other black type performers.

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