Superstars to align with Tarnawa set to visit Frankel in 2022

Tarnawa, the 2020 Breeders' Cup Turf heroine, will visitchampion sire Frankel for her first covering in 2022.

Pat Downes, manager of the Aga Khan's Irish studs, revealed the news on Tuesday's edition of Nick Luck's podcast.

"She will travel to the UK to be covered by Frankel, which we are very excited about," he told the host.

Between them, Tarnawa and Frankel accumulated 13 Group 1 triumphs in four different countries and represent two of the finest owner-breeder operations in the history of racing and breeding.

The six-year-old Shamardal mare, who won nine of her 18 starts and was unlucky not to add the Irish Champion Stakes and Arc to her glittering resume in 2021, illustrates the longevity and quality of the Aga Khan's breeding operation, which will celebrate its centenary in the new year.

Her pedigree, however, meant that remaining at home in Gilltown Stud to visit the farm's brilliant stallion Sea The Stars was not an option for Tarnawa, as Downes explained.

He said: "The options for a filly like her are relatively thin on the ground for the start of her stud career. When you actually look at her pedigree, she is out of a Cape Cross mare so Sea The Stars is not an option for her."

The Aga Khan's homebred French champion stallion Siyouni, who is the sire of 2021 Cartier Horse of the Year St Mark's Basilica, could be a future mate for Tarnawa, but whether the triple Group 1 winner travels to Haras de Bonneval will depend very much on how her younger half-sister by the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner fares.

"I imagine we will send her to Siyouni at some point but we have a sister to her turning two now so we will see how she gets on before making that particular decision," Downes added.

Tarnawa is the first foal out of Tarana, who won the Listed Oyster Stakes and Martin Molony Stakes for John Oxx and was placed in the Group 3 Curragh Cup. Tarana is out of Listed winner Tarakala, by Dr Fong, who was also trained by John Oxx and is the dam of four winners.

Tarana has produced two winners from two runners, with her three-year-old Fastnet Rock son Tazaral successful at Gowran in June for Dermot Weld. As well as the soon to turn two-year-old Siyouni filly, Tarana foaled a colt by none other than Frankel in 2021 and was covered by Lope De Vega in the spring.

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