Xenobia

Noted after she won a 7f handicap at Leopardstown in April, Xenobia is worth noting again after running on well to finish fourth in the Group 3 Desmond Stakes. She had sprung a bit of a surprise in the Group 3 Brownstown Stakes at Fairyhouse in the interim, and she proved last Thursday that there was no fluke about that.

Racing in George Strawbridge’s colours for the first time, she travelled well in behind early on in a race in which the pace held up well. The first three home raced in second, third and fourth places from early.

Xenobia had to be switched to the outside in order to deliver her challenge and, once she got her momentum up, she finished strongly, getting to within 4l of the winner Pincheck, and she was only just behind the placed horses, Masaarr and Zorion. It is solid form. In another stride she would have been third, and in another 50 yards she probably would have been second. She stayed the 1m well. She won her maiden over the trip and, while her best runs in the interim had been over 7f, a strongly-run 1m could be optimum for her now.

Leopardstown, 16^th August 2018