Friday 30 June 2023
SIYOUNI finished Royal Ascot 2023 as the second leading sire by prize money, following the victories of Paddington in the Gr.1 St James’s Palace Stakes, Tahiyra in the Gr.1 Coronation Stakes and Witch Hunter in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, as well as the second place of two-year-old Johannes Brahms in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes.
On Friday, Tahiyra was the star, as she battled gamely to win the Coronation Stakes for His Highness the Aga Khan, 100 years after his grandfather won his first of five renewals with his first ever European purchase, Paola. Tahiyra was the second winner of the race for her owner, who won with Ervedya – also by SIYOUNI – in 2015.
“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.”
When asked what Tahiyra’s next race would be, he continued: “I think the plan always was to give her a nice holiday, a nice break. She's had a very busy spring and early summer and we will look at a programme for her in the autumn.”
Princess Zahra Aga Khan later 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."
SIYOUNI now tops the rankings in Europe for sires of three-year-olds, and is second on the overall list of leading sires by prize money.
