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Iridessa (foaled 14 January 2016) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2018 she was one of the best fillies of her generation in Europe, winning the Group races Fillies' Mile. In the following year she was beaten in her first three races but then recorded further major wins in the Pretty Polly Stakes, Matron Stakes, and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
She was from the first crop of foals sired by the Epsom Derby winner Ruler of the World. Iridessa's dam Senta's Dream was an unraced daughter of the top class racemare Starine. As a broodmare, Senta's Dream also produced Order of Australia and Santa Barbara.
On 12 October Iridessa was sent to England for the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket Racecourse. Ridden by Wayne Lordan she started a 14/1 outsider in an eight-runner field which included Pretty Pollyanna, Hermosa, Antonia de Vega (Prestige Stakes) and Beyond Reason (Prix du Calvados). Iridessa raced in mid-division before making a forward move in the last quarter mile but was obstructed when attempting to obtain a clear run. She accelerated through a gap to take the lead in the final furlong and won by one and a half lengths from Hermosa with Pretty Pollyanna three quarters of a length back in third. After the race Joseph O'Brien said "We've always loved her. She ran well in a messy race at the Curragh and then was drawn on the inside at Leopardstown so she was set an almost impossible task. Today was probably the first time since her debut that she had a fair crack at everything. She travelled very well through the race. Wayne gave her a fantastic ride".
In July Iridessa was again moved up in distance for the Irish Oaks over one and a half miles at the Curragh. She went off the 4/1 third favourite but was never in serious contention and finished seventh of the eight runners, almost twelve lengths behind the winner Star Catcher. At Leopardstown on 14 September the filly was dropped back to one mile for the Matron Stakes in which she was partnered by Lordan and started at odds of 10/1. Laurens went off favourite in a seven-runner field which also included Hermosa, I Can Fly (second in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes), Just Wonderful (Rockfel Stakes), Skitter Scatter and Happen. Laurens set the pace from Hermosa with Iridessa settled in fourth place before making a forward move in the last quarter mile. She took the lead 150 yards from the finish and kept on well to win by three quarters of a length from Hermosa. O'Brien commented "She's a very good mare when things fall right for her. Wayne gave her a great ride, and she was the best filly on the day. She has a huge engine... She's by a Derby winner but physically looks like more of a miler than a staying filly, but she seems really versatile distance-wise".
At Newmarket on 5 October Iridessa was made third choice in the betting behind Hermosa and Lauren in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes over the Rowley mile. With Donnacha O'Brien in saddle she stayed on well in the closing stages to take third place, beaten one and a half lengths and half a length by Billesdon Brook and Veracious. For her final run of the season the filly was sent to California to contest the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf over ten furlongs at Santa Anita Park on 2 November. With Lordan in the saddle she went off the 8/1 third favourite behind Sistercharlie and Vasilika (Gamely Stakes) while the other seven runners included Billesdon Brook, Villa Marina, Castle Lady and Mirth (Rodeo Drive Stakes). After racing in third place behind Mirth and Vasilika she went to the front in the straight and kept on well to win by a neck from Vasilika with a gap of two and a quarter lengths back to Sistercharlie in third place. Aidan O'Brien commented "I was very happy through the race. We just wanted to get a nice position early and she had the early place to do that. It was always the plan to finish her season here and we were fortunate to have a good draw and things worked out lovely under a great ride by Wayne. She’s been a great servant to her owner, competing in all the best races and either winning or placing, and I’d love to think she will stay in training next year, when we will run in all the top mile and mile-and-a-quarter races".
In February 2020 it was announced that Iridessa had been retired from racing after sustaining a tendon injury in her stable. She was sold and exported to Japan to become a broodmare.
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