Bluestocking could revert to taking on her own sex in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks after her fine second in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
The sole filly in the King George line-up, Ralph Beckett’s four-year-old continued her stellar campaign to chase home the imperious French raider Goliath for a well-earned silver medal.
That performance came on the back of a first Group One victory in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh, while she impressed with a dominant display at York in the Middleton Stakes on reappearance.
Therefore, it appears a shrewd move for connections to point towards the Knavesmire for a second crack at the Yorkshire Oaks on August 21, with the daughter of Camelot reported to have bounced out of her Ascot appearance in top form.
“Ralph has said she has come out of the race great and is in absolutely tip-top shape and you wouldn’t know she has had a race,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.
“It was a huge performance and we were delighted with the run. She’s in good shape and we’ll look forward to having some more good days with her this year.
“In fairness the winner was very good and very well produced by Francis Graffard, but she has beaten some top-notchers in Auguste Rodin, Luxembourg, Rebel’s Romance and many more there – they were the cream of the crop of the older-age middle-distance horses.”
He went on: “We’ll stumble along there towards York and then we can decide closer to the time if we run at York or wait a bit longer for something else.
“I think it’s a day or so short of four weeks from Ascot to York and Ascot was four weeks from the Curragh so her races have spaced out quite nicely and she has only had three runs this year which is not a huge amount. But at that level those horses put in that much effort they probably do want that sort of break between them.
“She won well at York in the Middleton and also ran well in the Yorkshire Oaks last year, so I think it looks a nice logical next step if she is fit and well.”
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