Roca Roma

Roca Roma did well to run on as well as she did to take second place behind Pearls Galore in the Group 3 Fairy Bridge Stakes at Tipperary on Thursday evening.  Dropped out at the rear of the field early on by Colin Keane from her high draw, the early pace was not overly strong, Gary Halpin was able to dictate the early fractions on Thinking Of You.  Roca Roma was just about last of the 15 runners as they straightened up for home but, wheeled to the outside by her rider, she picked up impressively from the rear.  She stayed on best of all down the outside, and got past all her rivals with the exception of the talented Pearls Galore, who had gone into the race on the back of an impressive victory in the Group 3 Brownstown Stakes, and who raced close to the early pace here from flagfall from her inside draw.

It was a really nice run by Roca Roma.  A half-sister to Britannia Handicap winner Roca Tumu and to Grade 2 winner in America Roco Rojo, she went into Thursday’s race on the back of a game win in a handicap at Killarney off a mark of 97 in a first-time tongue-tie.  Her new mark of 102 still left her with a little to find on the top-rated fillies in Thursday’s race but, despite the fact that warm favourite Pretty Gorgeous under-performed, she proved that she belongs in this grade.  This was just her ninth run, she remains progressive, and she could be winning her Group race soon.
Tipperary, 26^th August 2021