Tarnawa boosted the Investec Oaks claims of Pink Dogwood with a gutsy victory in the Irish National Stud Racing Irish EBF Blue Wind Stakes at Naas.
Dermot Weld has farmed the race over the years and he was winning it for the fourth time since 2012 as Tarnawa nailed the odds-on favourite Who's Steph in the dying strides.
Who's Steph attempted to make all the running as she was backing up quickly having only won six days ago, but she was pestered on the front end throughout by Aidan O'Brien's Delphinia.
Having eventually seen off that Ballydoyle filly, Who's Steph looked sure to collect only for Chris Hayes to launch one final challenge on Tarnawa (4-1) and she prevailed by a neck.
While O'Brien was out of luck with his two runners - Peach Tree finished just behind the principals - he will have been partly pleased with the result as Pink Dogwood had Tarnawa back in third on her seasonal return to action.
"It was a good performance by her. I thought she'd be hard to beat today," said Weld. "She's tough, genuine and stays well. We'll see how she comes out of the race before making a decision about where she goes next. Epsom may be a possibility.
"The second is a very good filly and it was a good Classic trial, but we'll just see how she comes out of the race before making any decision where she goes.
"It's a lovely race to win. Blue Wind was a very special filly. She did the Oaks double for me, she was very impressive when she won the Epsom Oaks and then came back and won at the Curragh for us as well."
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