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Ridasiyna runs away with Opera Ridasiyna bounced back in mightily impressive fashion to take Sunday's Group 1 Prix de l'Opera by daylight. The Aga Khan homebred was buried in mid-pack, wearing a first-time hood, and traveled smoothly throughout the contest. Inching ever closer from halfway, she made smooth headway in the straight to sweep by Izzi Top passing the furlong marker and easily increased her margin of superiority over that rival under minimal urging as Giofra ran on well from off the pace to claim third. Unraced as a juvenile, Ridasiyna opened her account with a spectacular five-length debut score going 11 furlongs here May 13, and was equally impressive when registering another five-length triumph in the June 8 listed Prix Melisande at Maisons-Laffitte on black-type bow. She continued her winning streak when accounting for Romantica and a stellar line-up in the July 1 Group 3 Prix Chloe at Chantilly, but ran flat when suffering a first defeat in the August 21 Group 2 Prix de la Nonette at Deauville, finishing fifth as that rival exacted revenge last time. "We were disappointed when she run so badly at Deauville, but she was very nervous that day and had run her race beforehand, and that is why we fitted her with a hood today," trainer Mikel Delzangles explained. "It seems to have done the trick, as she behaved really well and was able to show her true form. The fast pace also played to her strengths as she loves to quicken from behind. "There is a strong possibility that she will remain in training as a four-year-old next year; therefore that was probably her last race of the season. There is not much left for her besides the Breeders' Cup, and she is not a filly with which you would want to travel so far." Gordon Lord Byron was supplemented for the Group 1 Prix de la Foret on Thursday at a cost of €18,000, and reaped an immediate dividend with a powerful display in the deep mud. The Tom Hogan trainee, who was 14th in the Wokingham Handicap cavalry charge at Royal Ascot June 23, has been a revelation in stakes company since running third in a Curragh handicap one week later and fourth in the July 15 listed Belgrave Stakes at Fairyhouse. Runner-up in the August 12 Group 3 Phoenix Sprint back at The Curragh, he won with authority over this seven-furlong trip in the August 25 listed City of York, and continued his rapid progress with a second to Society Rock in the September 8 Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup last time. Positioned fifth behind furious early fractions here, the crowd's second choice made headway under pressure into the stretch run and, once quickening into second approaching the final furlong, he was driven out late to prevail from British raider Penitent, who had raced prominently throughout. "Fortune favors the brave and, on the advice of (jockey) William Buick, we did not hesitate to supplement the horse for the race," Hogan said. "After the Haydock Sprint Cup, he said that seven furlongs was his best trip and that the horse would appreciate the course at Longchamp. All the owners chipped in for the supplementation and he won in very good style. "Although he had been running on soft ground for most of the year in Ireland, we were concerned, as we did not expect to find it so testing here. He came through it nicely and, as we we have an invitation for Hong Kong, we'll give him a little break, freshen him up, and probably go there." Another alumna of the Haydock Sprint Cup, Wizz Kid, rallied in time to catch Mayson in the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye at five furlongs. The ready winner of the Group 2 Prix du Gros-Chene at Chantilly for the second consecutive year June 3, she was well below that level when only 10th in the June 19 Group 1 King's Stand at Royal Ascot. She ran a creditable second to Moonlight Cloud in the August 5 Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville August 5, and firm ground offered no assistance when sixth at Haydock last time. However, a return to home shores and softer terrain did not help Wizz Kid initially here, as she broke awkwardly and was niggled along toward the rear whilst Inxile blazed his usual trail up front. Making headway as favored Mayson hit the front at the quarter-pole, she was still four lengths down and ridden along as that rival went clear with Hamish McGonagall at the furlong marker. But Gerald Mosse set to work, and Wizz Kid came with a turbo-charged late run to nail that pair close home, even allowing her veteran partner to take it easy in the final strides. "It's a victory which she deserved as she has been unlucky a couple of times in the big races," Ballylinch Stud Manager John O'Connor said. "She was beaten just over a length, but only finished fifth and didn't have a particularly good run in this race last year. Today, everything went her way. She likes a good, fast pace early on, and she finishes well. She's so brave, and maybe the cheekpieces help her to concentrate a little early on. We're delighted for her, and she's a homebred, which is even better." "This is just a great moment," trainer Robert Collet said, "and I'm very proud of this filly. She had knocked at the door a few times at this level and had always run with great credit. As she's by Whipper, I'm sure the heavy ground helped and, being the only French-trained horse in the field, we take great pride that she has kept the prize at home, which doesn't happen very often in this race. "I will run her again at Ascot in the British Champions Sprint (Group 2 on October 20), where I will be privileged to see Frankel run on the card." An emotional Gerald Mosse claimed his first victory in the event. "She wasn't the biggest horse in the race," Mosse said, "but she certainly had the biggest heart. I was in a little trouble at halfway, but the pace was very fast and I knew the leaders would come back to me, although I did not imagine that she would be capable of delivering such tremendous acceleration at the end." The Group 1 Prix du Cadran over a demanding 2 1/2 miles also went to a distaffer, with Molly Malone reveling in the conditions. She started her season in low-key fashion when taking an 11-furlong conditions race at Lyon-Parilly April 13 before being pitched into the Group 3 Prix d'Hedouville at this track May 8. Demoted from second to third, having caused interference to Sunday's Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Solemia in that 12-furlong contest, the bay was shipped across the English Channel to contest the Group 3 Pinnacle over that trip at Haydock June 2. Third there, the homebred was off the track until staying on strongly for fifth in August 26 Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville over 1 9/16 miles at the Normandy venue and was upped significantly in distance for the first time. Sitting at the head of the chasing pack as Vadamar had his own way on the lead early, she was eased into a clear second place with six furlongs remaining to take position on her pacesetting stable companion's tail straightening for home. Sent to the front under a drive at the eighth-pole, she never looked in danger of being reeled in by the hanging High Jinx and duly capped an excellent day for the Mikel Delzangles barn, which had earlier sent out Opera winner Ridasiyna. "Although she had never run over further than 14 1/2 furlongs, I knew she would stay all day and such a trip was what she needed," her trainer said. "She is also definitely much better on this ground and had been knocking on the door in Group races. I had been thinking about running her here in the Prix Royal-Oak (Group 1 on October 28), but figured this could be weaker, and I also knew she would have her ground here." Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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