By Breandán Ó hUallacháin
The 2020 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Tarnawa will race again in 2021.The Aga Khan-owned filly may have the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Paris Longchamp, France, as her primary target next season according to her trainer Dermot Weld.
It was expected that the four-year-old filly would be retired after her Breeders’ Cup success at Keeneland last month following an impressive run of form at the highest level this season.
The daughter of Darley sire, Shamardal, won the Group 1 Qatar Prix Vermeille over a mile and a half in early September before returning to the French capital a fortnight later to claim the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera Longines over 1m and 2 furlongs.
Confirming that his star filly would return to the racetrack next season, Dermot Weld outlined his plan for her in 2021:
“The plan is to train her again for another autumn campaign next year as a 5-year-old. Hopefully we can do as well as we did this year. The Arc certainly could come on the radar, although it’s a long way away.”
The Rosewell House trainer expressed his delighted with how the eight-race winner returned from the Breeders’ Cup, stating:
“She came home from America in good form. Hopefully there’s a lot to look forward to.”
The former Belmont Stakes-winning handler stated that the 14-time runner had improved season by season:
“She’s a wonderfully tough, genuine mare who has improved every season for me. She progressed from 2 to 3 and 3 to 4.”
“There’s no reason why there may not even be a little more improvement to come in what will be her final year next year,” the County Kildare, Ireland-based trainer added.
Photo Credit: Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders’ Cup
