Miralla

As a two-year-old in 1974 Miralla raced four times over six and seven furlongs but failed to win although she finished third on two occasions. She did not perform well enough to be given a weight in the Irish Free Handicap.[2]

On her three-year-old debut, Miralla was ridden by an apprentice jockey and started an outsider for a minor race over seven furlongs at Phoenix Park Racecourse but belied her odds by taking the lead in the last quarter mile and winning by four lengths from Passer Queen. She was then moved up in class for the Athasi Stakes over the same distance at the Curragh and started at odds of 12/1 in a field headed by the Paddy Prendergast-trained Tender Camilla who had won the Marble Hill Stakes, Railway Stakes and Moyglare Stud Stakes in 1974. In a race run on extremely heavy ground in driving rain Miralla went clear of her rivals approaching the final furlong and held off the late run of Tender Camilla to win by a short head. The Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh attracted a field of eleven fillies and saw Nocturnal Spree start favourite ahead of Silky, Music Ville, Highest Trump (Queen Mary Stakes) and Reap the Wind (National Stakes) with Miralla next in the betting on 14/1 alongside Swingtime. Ridden by Ryan "Buster" Parnell,[5] Miralla tracked the leaders as Music Ville set the pace before moving up into contention in the last quarter mile. She took the lead a furlong out and drew right away in the closing stages to win by five lengths from Silky with another five lengths back to Highest Trump in third.[2]

The weather became much warmer and drier in the summer of 1975 and Miralla was unsuited by the resulting firmer ground. In June she was sent to England for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot but looked extremely ill at ease on the ground and finished sixth to Rose Bowl. On 19 July she was moved up in distance for the Irish Oaks over one and a half miles at the Curragh and came home fifth of the fourteen runners behind Juliette Marny. After finishing fifth in her next two starts she was sent to France for the Prix de l'Opéra over 1850 metres at Longchamp Racecourse in October. She was racing on soft ground for the first time since the spring was required to concede weight to her sixteen opponents and finished ninth behind Sea Sands, beaten six lengths by the winner.[2]