Irish racing preview: Tarnawa set to make winning return

Off the track since November, seasonal debutante Tarnawa is difficult to oppose in the Group 3 Grant Thornton Ballyroan Stakes in Leopardstown.

The Dermot Weld-trained mare went through 2020 unbeaten, stepping up from her comeback win in a Cork Group 3 to rattle off three high-profile successes at the top level.

She made her Group 1 breakthrough in the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp in mid-September, slamming Raabihah by three lengths.

Back to Longchamp three weeks later, Tarnawa captured another Group 1, getting the better of Alpine Star by a head. But this Aga Khan-owned mare is best-known for her exploits in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in Keeneland in early November when she got the better of Aidan O’Brien’s Magical.

Tarnawa boasts a mark of 122 and is being trained for a crack at the Arc in October so she won’t be fully-tuned for this test. But her class should see her through.

The one-mile, two-year-old maiden looks competitive, with Ballydoyle colt Changingoftheguard, Johnny Murtagh’s Chicago Soldier, the Fozzy Stack-trained Mannix, and Jim Bolger’s McTigue all holding obvious claims.

Marginal preference is for Ryan Moore’s mount Changingoftheguard, beaten three lengths when fourth to Manu Et Conde over this course and distance and, perhaps, capable of more improvement than his rivals.

Sligo stages the second leg of its August meeting, a National Hunt card comprising six hurdles and bumper.

The in-form John Ryan holds a strong hand in the Foley’s Bar & Off Licence Rated Novice Hurdle, with The Little Yank expected to register his second success over flights.

This fellow opened his account at the 22 attempt when turning over Persia in Ballinrobe two weeks ago.

And he backed that up with a solid handicap run in Galway, filling third spot behind Arcadian Sunrise in a competitive event.

Back in novice company and with rising star Shane Fitzgerald on board, claiming 7lb, he should be tough to beat.

LEOPARDSTOWN 

John Ryan

3.45 Confide 

4.15 Take My Hand 

4.45 Chaningoftheguard 

5.20 Tarnawa (Nap) 

5.50 Premium Ticket 

6.20 Kaaranah 

6.55 Harbanaker 

7.30 Time And Money 

Next Best 

3.45 Turbine 

4.15 Adapt To Dan 

4.45 McTigue 

5.20 Benaud 

5.50 Collins Street 

6.20 Magnetic North 

6.55 Tipperary Moon 

7.30 Parisienne Ways

SLIGO 

John Ryan

4.30 Donthavetime 

5.00 The Little Yank 

5.35 General Moriviere 

6.05 Wasdale Park 

6.35 Arctic Warrior (NB) 

7.10 Thousand Tears 

7.40 Nos Na Gaoithe 

Next Best 

4.30 Hophornbeam 

5.00 Hidden land 

5.35 Turkestan 

6.05 John Adams 

6.35 The Banger Doyle

7.10 Pump Road 

7.40 Fanoir