Dermot Weld's Group One winning star Tarnawa makes her eagerly-anticipated return to action in the Group Three Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday and although 1/7 to land the event her trainer reveals she will come on a bunch for the run.
The five year old Tarnawa had an unbelievable season last term racing four times and going on to win all of her events with ease.
She started her campaign off at Cork in a Group Three event over 1m4f for fillies and she managed to see off Group Two winner Cayenne Pepper comfortably.
Off the back of that prep run she headed straight over to France for the Group One Prix Vermeille, where she took on horses like Dame Malliott and Raabihah and on good ground she blitzed the field by three lengths.
The five year old showed her versatility in terms of ground next time out when landing a hat-trick in the 1m2f Group One Prix de l'Opera on heavy ground, beating Alpine Star who had some serious form.
Having had an unbelievable season already, Weld sent his star mare to America for the Breeders Cup Turf at Keeneland and on firm ground she needed every bit of the 1m4f to land the event.
That was her best performance to date, coming all the way round the field to see off the likes of multiple Group One winners Magical, Lord North and Mogul.
What a run from TARNAWA!
— The Winners Enclosure (@TWEnclosure) November 7, 2020
🇮🇪 Colin Keane manages to come off to a slow pace to land the $4m @BreedersCup Turf@AtTheRaces pic.twitter.com/7UmgbG7kp0
Having been waited on for later this season she returns on Thursday in the Group Three Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown and Weld has explained she will need the run.
(Credit Nick Luck's Daily Podcast) He said: “We’re very, very happy with her. The only thing is she’s done herself extremely well through the summer and she’s just carrying a bit more than I’d like condition-wise for her first run.”
having intentionally given her a long break before her return, the experienced handler said: “It worked really successfully for her last year (started in August) – she won her two Group Ones in France and the Breeders’ Cup Turf, and I thought we’d kind of follow a similar pattern.
“But possibly because we’ve had a very, very dry and warm summer in Ireland and the ground has been pretty firm I would have liked to have got a bit more work into her. But I’m happy with the filly physically and mentally.
“I suppose she’s bigger and stronger in many ways, but I just want to warn I would like to have her a shade fitter than she is going into the race.
“Last year I had her very forward, and she put up an excellent performance at Cork and won her Group race well. She’s in great form again this year, but possibly not quite as advanced in her training.
“It’s a long road all the way into November, so we’re ‘hasting slowly’. She’s just not quite as forward this year as I had her last year.”