Sense Of Style

Sense Of Style was unlucky not to finish closer than she did to the winner Joan Of Arc in the 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown on Sunday. Settled nicely at the rear of the field by Declan McDonogh through the early stages of the race, she travelled well around the home turn, but she was squeezed out of it a little as they straightened up for home two and a half furlongs out. She lost ground and momentum, and her rider had to take her back and take her to the outside and ask her to go forward again. Stone last passing the two-furlong marker, she stayed on really willingly down the outside to get up and take sixth place close home, about five lengths behind the winner.

This was a good race, and it was a race in which the pace held up well, Joan Of Arc and Flirting Bridge raced in first and second places respectively from early, and they finished first and second, and the first four home occupied the first four places from seven furlongs out. It was difficult for the hold-up horses to get into it. So, even without the interference, you could have marked Joseph O’Brien’s filly up at least a little.

She was a progressive filly last season as a juvenile, she was only beaten a short head by Fantasy Lady in a listed race at Fairyhouse in October, and she reached a rating of 101. She continued her progression on her debut this season in the Ballylinch Stud Guineas Trial at Leopardstown last month, when she out-ran big odds in finishing third behind Keeper Of Time and Mehnah, when she had Joan Of Arc and More Beautiful behind her. She ran better than the bare form of her run on Sunday suggests, and she will be of interest wherever she goes next. A half-sister to Mooresbridge Stakes winner Leo De Fury, she could step up in trip in time.
Leopardstown, 9^th May 2021