Raydara

Raydara put up a really nice performance to finish fourth in the Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes at The Curragh on Sunday on her first run since she finished down the field in the Irish Guineas in May.

Settled in fourth place through the early stages of the race by Shane Foley, the Aga Khan’s filly moved up nicely on the outside of Talmada and Brooch on the run to the two-furlong pole. It appeared at that stage as if she was travelling better than her two rivals, Foley allowed her travel up alongside, disputing the lead, for a few strides before asking her to go and win her race. When he did, Raydara did pick up, she went a head or a neck up on Brooch just inside the final furlong, but she couldn’t sustain her effort. She was passed by the winner Wedding Vow on her outside, and she weakened from there as Brooch battled back on her inside and Bocca Baciata came past on her outside.

You can easily allow for the fact that she faded. She hadn’t run since May, in almost two months, and she was conceding race fitness to all her rivals. Also, she was stepping up to nine furlongs for the first time, and, although she is bred for middle distances, there is a small chance that she just didn’t get home, that a mile is as far as she wants to go.

Disappointing in the Guineas on her only run before Sunday at three, the Michael Halford-trained filly proved here that she retained a lot of her ability. Fourth behind Jack Naylor and Agnes Stewart and Qualify in the Silver Flash Stakes last year in one of the best juvenile fillies’ races run in Ireland in 2014, she improved from that to win the Group 2 Debutante Stakes at The Curragh in August on her final run at two, when she beat the top class Lucida by a half a length.

She can build now on Sunday’s run. She should come on for it, and she should also improve for a step back down to a mile. At her best on fast ground, she has plenty of pace and she will be of interest wherever she goes next.

19th July 2015