Bluestocking whirling in a daring ride Emily Upjohn to win the June 29 Pretty Polly Stakes (G1) for Ralph Beckett, Rossa Ryan and Juddmonte.
It was Bluestocking’s first Group 1 finish and a first at the top level in Ireland for Ryan, who believes his mare will catch Emily Upjohn despite her appearance in the daylight while still some distance from the finish 1/4 mile is completely reasonable.
Market support was strong for Bluestocking and she held a mid-pack position alongside Emily Upjohn. However, on the home stretch, Kieran Shoemark repositioned Emily Upjohn and brought her in alongside her. Lumiere Stone at the top of the field.
With two furlongs to run, Emily Upjohn showed off her group 1 leg spin as she pulled away from her single-pace rivals. At this point, it looks like Shoemark has played his cards perfectly and his dirty game has hit a low of 1-33 while in play on Betfair Exchange.
However, Ryan spoke of his deep faith in Bluestocking in the build-up to Saturday’s race and consistently pushed the 4-year-old back. She drove her car past the rest of her opponents and began pursuing Emily Upjohn in earnest.
The difficult finish at the Curragh began to pay off as Emily Upjohn’s efforts began to pay off and Bluestocking went into overdrive. There was a sense of inevitability about the outcome with half a length to go and it proved to be so, as Bluestocking edged Emily Upjohn by half a length to take the win.
Aidan O’Brien is trained Content returned eight days later from eighth place in the Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, finishing third.
“I’m speechless,” Ryan said. “It was strange. I thought she was going to win (before the race)—I had a lot of faith in her to do it—but when Kieran kicked, I thought it was gone and wouldn’t come back.
“She was picking up all the time and I was just wondering if Gosden, as she’s been in front for a long time, was she going to be idle? Luckily for me, she did a little bit and she was at top speed. When we started to hit the hill on the long straight I thought ‘I could have you’ and when we got to the half-length peg I thought ‘Now we have you’, but I didn’t think I was going to catch him when he turned in.
“I’m so excited. She deserves this.”
The 4 year old daughter of Camel , Bluestocking opened his account this season with a dominant win in last month’s Middleton Fillies Stakes (G2) at York. Before Pretty Polly, she was placed in Group 1 twice last year with runner-up efforts in the Irish Oaks (G1) and British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1).
She has been cut to 5-2 (from 4) by Betfair and Paddy Power for the Nassau Stakes (G1) at Glorious Goodwood, and the race is likely to be her next target.
“It was a great day and I’m very pleased,” said Beckett. “You look back at last year and we talked about whether she should continue training. Juddmonte had no doubts about that and today proved it all. Her next start could be the Nassau Stakes.”
Bluestocking overhaul Emily Upjohn nears the finish line in the thrilling Group 1 Cairn Community Games Pretty Polly Stakes!
Many congratulations @Rossaryan15, @RalphBeckett And @JuddmonteFarms pic.twitter.com/paxiiJXQOD
– Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) June 29, 2024
