Tarawa takes Snow Fairy spoils for Weld

Dermot Weld’s decision to remain in Ireland with Tarawa paid dividends as she secured Group Three glory in the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes at the Curragh.

The trainer admitted he had been considering a trip to America with the four-year-old filly, but eventually opted to stay closer to home with his previous Listed winner.

Having placed on numerous occasions in Group race company, Tarawa landed the Glencairn Stakes in June over the same nine-furlong trip she faced here and she was rated an 11-2 chance for this contest.

Chris Hayes had her in front with two furlongs to run and while Hanalia and Wingspan stayed on to good effect in the closing stages, Tarawa was a length and a quarter too good, with just a head separating the placed pair.

“It was a good performance by her, she’s been a model of consistency,” said Weld.

“I know she’s been placed more times in Group races, but she has a lot of black type and having won a stakes race at Leopardstown, it was just lovely to go and win a Group race with her today.

“I thought she had it won a long way out. I appreciate she got first run on them a little bit, but the track is riding quick today and the plan was to sit very handy because they are not coming from off the pace.

“The way every race is working out today you have to sit very handy. That’s what he did and the rest is history.

“When she won her Listed race at Leopardstown that’s what she did and she ran a good race at Leopardstown when she was second to a good horse of Aidan’s (Diego Velazquez).

“I think a mile-and-one is her correct trip. She’s after winning her stakes and her group race over a mile-and-one.

“She was in a graded race at Kentucky Downs and we gave it a lot of thought but we decided to stay here.

“I have a few ideas for her now.”

Tarawa is entered in the Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on September 14, with Weld not ruling out the Group One contest.

He added: “We’ll see how she comes out of it, that could be a possibility. It depends on the makeup of the Matron.

“She’s very good around Leopardstown so we’ll give it definite consideration.”