Ridenza

Ridenza put up a nice performance to finish third behind Know It All and Celestial Object in the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud Fillies Stakes. Taken back early on by Ronan Whelan, she was a little bit keen early on, but she travelled well around the home turn and into the home straight. Still on the bridle passing the two-furlong marker, she picked up well when her rider asked her. She couldn’t catch Know It All, who showed an impressive turn of foot to go clear, but she kept on bravely through traffic and a little bit of scrimmaging to take third place, just over three lengths behind the winner.

It was a fine run by Michael Halford’s filly on her seasonal debut. She fractured a pastern when she won on her racecourse debut at Leopardstown last August, and she was taken out of the Irish Guineas in June because the ground was considered too fast, but she showed here that she retains lots of ability. A daughter of Sea The Stars, out of Raydara, who won the Group 2 Debutante Stakes as a juvenile, this was just her second run ever, so she should progress from it. Michael Halford’s horses usually come on for their seasonal debut too, so she will be of interest wherever she goes next.

Leopardstown, 1^st July 2020