Coronation Stakes: Tahiyra shows her class with Royal Ascot victory for Chris Hayes and Dermot Weld
Chris Hayes guided Tahiyra to the front with a furlong to run and held off the late charge from Remarquee; the success adds to the filly's Irish 1000 Guineas victory last month; the win was also a first Royal Ascot victory for jockey Hayes
Friday 23 June 2023 17:27, UK
Tahiyra showed her class and survived a stewards' enquiry to win the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot for Chris Hayes and Dermot Weld.
The Irish 1000 Guineas heroine took a first British Group One with a relatively smooth victory, defeating Remarquee and Rob Hornby by a length at the line.
It was not all simple for the hot favourite, though, having slightly missed the start with Hayes then placing his filly at the back of the field.
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That allowed her long-time rival Meditate to set the pace under Ryan Moore, who did so until the two-furlong pole when Sounds Of Heaven loomed up.
But all the while, Tahiyra was travelling smoothly in behind, and despite causing minor interference to eventual second Remarquee, she always had enough in hand to give Hayes a first Royal Ascot success.
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The win also comes 50 years after Weld saddled his first Royal Ascot winner with Klairvimy in the 1973 King Edward VII Stakes.
Speaking after the race, Hayes told Sky Sports Racing: "It wasn't straightforward. She lost her hind leg coming out of the gate. I had to go to Plan B, because she got a little bit keen, which was unlike her.
"They were going very steady, so she had to be good to pick them up, running at a quickening pace. She idled a bit - I just can't wait to ride her in a true-run race, it was so stop-start.
"The boss told me to ride her with confidence. She is the fastest filly in the race and I just rode her like she was the best.
"The stewards' enquiry actually had nothing to do with me - the inside horses concertinaed."
Winning trainer Weld added: "I thought she put in an excellent performance, I think she was a worthy winner. With a very small field I always knew it was going to be a tactical race and she has so much pace. She's a very talented filly.
"She was very brave and she got a lovely ride from Chris the way the race turned out, he rode her hands and heels and she was a very deserving winner.
"The plan was always to give her a nice holiday, a nice break. She's had a very busy spring and early summer and she needs a nice break now and we'll look at a programme for her in the autumn."
