Ted Walsh doesn't need any introduction, but let's call him a vastly experienced trainer and pundit who has seen it all. He had no doubt he had seen something special.
"She's the real Ally Daly, she has everything," proclaimed Walsh on RTE after Tahiyra lit up a dull, damp, and dreary afternoon Sept. 11 at the Curragh.
For those of you unaware of what the reference means, apparently, Ally Daly is a standard of excellence based on the quality of the dairy products of early 19th century Irish farmer Alice Daly.
It was hard to argue with Ted. Tahiyra excelled once again, just as she did when winning a traditionally hot Galway maiden on debut, but this time she was beating an unbeaten Albany winner trained by Aidan O'Brien, who went into the race as favorites for next year's One Thousand Guineas (G1).
Tahiyra must be special to reel in a filly like Meditate, who traded at a low of 1-5 on Betfair in running. She didn't just catch her, either; she breezed by her and is now 4-1 favorite for the One Thousand Guineas with Ladbrokes having begun the day at 25-1. It is hard to argue with that, either.
Chris Hayes was the coolest customer at the Curragh as he didn't flinch when Ryan Moore kicked on Meditate. He knew what was underneath him.
"She is a little sweetheart!" said Hayes with a smile that could last until he sits on her again, which is likely to be next year as Dermot Weld said we wouldn't see her again in 2022.
Hayes added: "She's a funny character, but the good ones normally are. When you are riding her at home in work, if you send her down with a horse rated 45, she will stay beside it. If you send her down with a horse rated 90, she will stay beside it.
"I knew the way she was traveling on the ground, she was going to quicken on it."
She certainly did quicken, and Weld thinks she will be a "beautiful filly" next spring. Well, I have news for you, Dermot, she is a beautiful one now.
Weld said: "She did it very well and she's beaten a very high-class, multiple group-winning filly. It was an excellent renewal of the race. I was afraid it might just come a little soon in her career, at group 1 level, and I've always said what a beautiful filly she would be next spring. We've got a lot to look forward to.
"I just told Chris to take his time and make steady progress, as she has lots of pace, and to come inside the last furlong. It takes confidence to do that. She's a half sister to Tarnawa, our champion filly. There is tremendous stamina in the pedigree, brilliance, and speed."
Tahiyra seems to have inherited both brilliance and speed. She's the real Ally Daly all right.
The Moyglare Stakes is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race granting the winner an automatic qualifying position and fees paid into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) held championship weekend Nov. 4-5 at Keeneland Racecourse.
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