Can So Wonderful finally break her maiden at the 11th attempt?

4.55 Leopardstown
Derrinstown Stud Fillies Stakes (Group 3) | 1m | 3yo | RTV

You do not find many maidens with an official rating of 108, fewer still who have been placed in a Classic, so it is about time So Wonderful opened her account.

To be fair to the daughter of War Front, she has been asked some tough questions in her career to date. Eight of her ten outings have been in Group races, three of them in Group 1s, and she finished fourth to Alpine Star in the Coronation Stakes just seven days after taking third behind Peaceful in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.

So Wonderful has had valid reasons for most of her defeats but excuses will not wash on this occasion as she drops down in class to a Group 3 against her own sex on what is likely to be her preferred fast ground. She has the perfect draw in stall two for a filly who craves cover and Seamie Heffernan is riding better than ever.

But, do you really want to be taking a short price about a filly who is nought from ten and barely stays a mile? That is the question punters will be asking themselves ahead of this fascinating contest.

Johnny Murtagh told the Racing Post in an interview during lockdown that Know It All was the best horse in his yard and she made a promising return to action at this track when chasing home Love Locket in a Group 3 over seven furlongs. The extra furlong here might just suit.

Michael Halford: reports Ridenza to be in great shape for her return to action at LeopardstownCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Celestial Object was also a 5-1 shot for that race but she got no luck in running and Shane Foley soon accepted the situation. Jessica Harrington believes the best is still to come and who are we to argue with her?

We have only got the solitary glimpse of Ridenza but she looked very smart when landing a 7f maiden at Leopardstown last August. The form of that race has worked out particularly well with the fourth home that day, Lemista, now rated 104 after winning a pair of stakes races.

So Wonderful will most likely win if she settles, gets cover and comes with a clear run, but perhaps Ridenza is the most viable alternative given we have no idea how good she is.

What they say

Jessica Harrington, trainer of Celestial Object
Nothing went right for her the last day at Leopardstown and you can definitely put a line through that run. I think the step back up to a mile will suit her and I've been happy with her at home.

Michael Halford, trainer of Ridenza
We're looking forward to getting her back out. The ground was just too quick for her at the Curragh. Obviously there is only one Guineas but safety had to come first so we took her out. She's as forward as she can be without a run and I've been very happy with her work at home.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of So Wonderful and Tango
So Wonderful has loads of ability. It's hard to believe she's still a maiden. She wants seven furlongs, or else a mile on fast ground, so the better the ground the better chance she will have. She seems to be in good form since Ascot and we've been happy with her. Tango is in good form too.

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