Beaten in bamboozling fashion last time out, Mikel Dezangles' Risasiyna oozed to victory in the Prix de L'Opera with a sublie turn of foot that put the race to bed in a matter of strides.
An exciting three year old daughter of Motivator, Ridasiyna had gone into the Prix de la Nonette seemingly with the world at her feet after a string of impressive performances in lower company. However, an inexplicably poor performance saw her as a shadow of herself that day and prompted Mikel Dezangles to put the filly away for a reappearance six weeks later in the Prix de L'Opera.
With Niall McCullough looking to stretch every ounce of the staying ability of this stacked field, Manieree, of the John Oxx barn, was taken to the front of the pack and allowed to build up a huge seven length lead on her rivals, throwing out the pace making plans of many who opposed and resorting Galikova's pacemaker to virtully pull up and ease home for the majority of the race.
With a mere quarter of the race gone, it was evident that Izzi Top and William Buick were seemingly the only ones willing to keep tabs on the John Oxx filly with a further four lengths back to the rest of the pack. Turning into the false straight, Buick delivered his challege early and powered past Manieree with three or four furlongs to go in a move which instantaneously looked like one that would win the race.
However, as the finishing post loomed closer, it was evident that Buick's decision to track Manieree closely for the majority of the race had consigned the filly to become a sitting duck for her rivals. As Izzi Top began to shorten stride, Lemaire aboard Ridasiyna powered past her on the outside as the rest of the pack drew closer eventually giving Ridasiyna a comfortable four length success.
Izzi Top, who looked to be struggling to hold off her rivals as her stride began to shorten, found a second wind inside the final furlong when challenged by Group 1 Falmouth Stakes victor, Giofra, to ensure she would finish the race in second place.
Giofra, of who there were worries about her ability to stay the ten furlong distance in the heavy going, finished a creditable third-place a head-distance behind.
~By Dan Munn