Ruler of the World's Iridessa Wins the Matron

Already the winner of the G1 Fillies' Mile and G1 Pretty Polly S., Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's Iridessa (Ire) (Ruler of the World {Ire}) made it a trio of top-level contests in Saturday's G1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron S. at Leopardstown. Only seventh trying 12 furlongs for the first time in the G1 Irish Oaks when last seen at The Curragh July 20, the 10-1 shot tracked the pace set by the even-money favourite Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in a share of third early and was in waiting as she was softened up by Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). It was that dual Guineas heroine who held sway after their personal duel, but Wayne Lordan found the requisite response from Iridessa to swamp that rival approaching the furlong pole and assert for a 3/4-of-a-length verdict, with a head back to Hermosa's stablemate Just Wonderful (Dansili {GB}) in third. “She's a good filly when thing fall right for her and she was having a bit of a look when she got to the front today, so there was no luck involved–she was best on the day,” trainer Joseph O'Brien commented.

To describe Iridessa as in-and-out is unfair, but her record is not entirely consistent despite trying different trips from a mile to a mile and a half. Only 4-1 for the Irish Oaks on the back of her Pretty Polly success at The Curragh June 28, she may not have stayed the 12 furlongs of that Classic but her earlier efforts when eighth in the May 5 G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and fourth in the Irish equivalent in Kildare three weeks later suggest that she needs everything to slot into place to really excel. “She has one run, but a huge engine,” O'Brien added. “She seems to enjoy it when there is a bit of pace on in front of her and she has something to run at.”

“She is by a Derby winner but physically she is more like a miler as she is very strong,” he continued. “She seems very versatile distance-wise, but we weren't sure what her trip was. She ran well in the Oaks, but it was a very messy race, they went very slow and sprinted up the straight so we put a line through that. She's a homebred. Mum and dad bought the mare and this is the second foal out of her. She has some younger animals coming along and this is a nice boost. The [Oct. 6 G1] Prix de l'Opera [at ParisLongchamp] was what we had in the back of our minds. Originally we were thinking about running in the Blandford, but there wasn't as big a field here as we thought so we came here.”

Laurens, who was two lengths behind Just Wonderful in fourth, was disappointing as she faded out of contention in the straight and jockey PJ McDonald said, “She didn't find a length when I gave her a squeeze, I don't know why. She just wasn't herself.”

As O'Brien stated, Iridessa's dam is out of Senta's Dream (GB) (Danehill) who fetched just 14,000gns when purchased from Newsells Park Stud at the 2013 Tattersalls December Sale. She is one of only two foals out of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare heroine Starine (Fr) (Mendocino), who is kin to the G3 Prix Minerve third Pearlescence (Pleasantly Perfect). Senta's Dream also has the unraced 2-year-old colt Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and a yearling filly by Camelot (GB).

Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
COOLMORE FASTNET ROCK MATRON S.-G1, €350,000, Leopardstown, 9-14, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:38.81, gd.
1–IRIDESSA (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Ruler of the World (Ire)
1st Dam: Senta's Dream (GB), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Starine (Fr), by Mendocino
3rd Dam: Grisonnante (Fr), by Kaldoun (Fr)
O-Mrs C C Regalado-Gonzalez; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien; J-Wayne Lordan. €206,500. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 10-4-0-2, $852,780. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hermosa (Ire), 126, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Beauty Is Truth (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Beauty Is Truth Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €70,000.
3–Just Wonderful, 126, f, 3, Dansili (GB)–Wading (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. €35,000.
Margins: 3/4, HD, 2. Odds: 10.00, 3.50, 12.00.
Also Ran: Laurens (Fr), I Can Fly (GB), Happen, Skitter Scatter. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.