David de Miranda Opens the First Puerta del Príncipe of the 2025 April Fair

A significant afternoon at the Real Maestranza, where tickets had sold out days in advance. The anticipation was high, with a lineup of renowned names and rising stars. But only one man managed to turn that expectation into triumph: David de Miranda.

Cayetano, facing his final appearance in Sevilla, never found the necessary partner in either of his bulls. His first, lacking strength and protested from the outset, collapsed after the first encounter with the horse. Cayetano approached the task with sobriety and professionalism, but with little to work with, the outcome was inevitably limited. A well-placed sword ended the effort, but the crowd remained silent.
In the fourth, he impressed with a chicuelina-style galleo before the picador’s first intervention. He dedicated the fight to his friend Antonio Vega, and the band played early during the faena. However, once again, the bull lacked power and presence. Cayetano handled the situation with patience, extracting a few elegant passes. A solid sword followed by a descabello earned him an ovation in his farewell.

Roca Rey struggled with the wind throughout both his performances. The second bull, after an exciting round of quites exchanged with Miranda, injured itself early in the muleta and never recovered. Silence followed the estocada.
In the fifth, a stronger bull, Roca Rey dedicated the fight to the audience. He began with energetic passes from above and tried to dominate the animal. A promising series on the left suggested a turning point, but the bull never truly responded. A missed sword and a flawed estocada ended a mixed reception from the crowd.

Then came David de Miranda. From the third bull, he showed his intentions with tight verónicas and a kneeling start to the faena. The bull, short on strength, required great finesse. Miranda was wise and patient, gradually building a performance full of clean, precise passes on both sides. A finale with bernadinas ignited the crowd, and a strong sword earned him one ear, with many calling for a second.

But the best was yet to come. The sixth bull, the most complete of the afternoon, was met with vibrant chicuelinas and an electrifying start. Miranda began with stately estatuarios and followed with two electric right-handed series that set the plaza ablaze. A left-handed series, long and commanding, added depth. But it was again down the right that Miranda reached the pinnacle—upright, fluid, intense toreo. Though the bull faded in the end, Miranda had already sealed the triumph. A perfect estocada and two unanimous ears. And with them, the longed-for Puerta del Príncipe—the first, and so far the only one, of the 2025 fair.