Aga Khan Studs have been having a very good year with two Classic winners carrying their colours in Epsom Oaks winner Ezeliya and French 1000 Guineas winner Rouhiya and they produced another blue-blood stakes-winner overnight with quality Shamardal mare Tarawa breaking through for her first Black Type win in the Listed Glencairn Stakes (1m1f) at Leopardstown.
Trained by Dermot Weld as is Ezeliya, four year-old Tarawa has had numerous Black Type placings to her credit, but wins had proven elusive. Taken to the front by Chris Hayes, she relished the new role and kept up a good gallop to win by more than two lengths.
“Tarawa deserved that. She has a lot of Group black type and it was her first time over this trip. It opens up a lot more options for her. I love the way she quickened and put it away so quickly,” said Dermot Weld,
Tarawa has two wins and six placings from 11 starts and is a sibling to Group III winners Tanaza and Taniyar as well as Group III placed Taramansour, who is trained in Australia.
She is the third stakes-winner among six winners from stakes-winning Dalakhani mare Tanoura, a daughter of Group II winner Takarouna with numerous Group winners all over the page.
Tarawa is the 173rd stakes-winner for Shamardal and is the fifth stakes-winner for Shamardal from a daughter of Dalakhani with that cross producing eight winners from 10 runners so 80% winners to runners and 50% SW to runner with Champion 2YO Pinatubo the star performer.
The triple Group I winner is back in Australia for Darley this year at a fee of $55,000.
