Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Rockfel Stakes |
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| Group 2, Newmarket 15:00 £100,000 guaranteed, 2yo fillies only, 7f, Class 1  |
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1 Bubbling 11/8F
2 Serving With Style 11/1
3 Duty First 11/2
5 ran NR: Ecstatic, Troia
Distances: 2¼l, 2½l, 5ll Time: 1m 27.20s (slow by 4.00s)
Bubbling wins the Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Rockfel Stakes for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore, who scores a treble on the card.@ABE_Dubai pic.twitter.com/496t1w56LO
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) September 27, 2024
Bubbling delivered a spirited performance to secure trainer Aidan O’Brien his fourth win in the Rockfel Stakes.
After winning on her second start at Galway and finishing third in a Listed event at the Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown two weeks ago, Bubbling was a well-backed 11-8 favourite to step up to Group Two level on the Rowley Mile, completing a treble for jockey Ryan Moore.
Despite a slow start, Moore allowed the No Nay Never filly to settle early in the seven-furlong race while Serving With Style and Duty First, both owned by Victorious Racing, contested the lead. Bubbling made her move against the far rail in the final furlong, improving with every stride to win by two and a quarter lengths over Serving With Style.
Formal, previously unbeaten and aiming to give Sir Michael Stoute his fourth Rockfel victory before his retirement, finished a disappointing fourth. Quinnbet shortened Bubbling’s odds for the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on October 11 from 16-1 to 6-1, though O’Brien hinted she might not race again this season.
O’Brien, watching from home, expressed his satisfaction: “We were delighted with that. She ran well last time but things didn’t go her way. She’s a filly to look forward to next year, potentially over middle distances or a mile. She handled the soft ground well, so I don’t think any ground will trouble her.”
Moore added to Racing TV: “They didn’t go too fast, and when they quickened, she got a bit lost and unbalanced. She’s still learning and finished strongly up the hill. She’ll be comfortable over longer distances. We’re still learning about Aidan’s juvenile fillies; it’s early days, and they have more to show.”
Rockfel Stakes (Fillies' Group 2)
£100,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 7f, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Soft
POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (1) Bubbling 2 9-2 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 11/8F
2 (3) 2¼ Serving With Style 2 9-2 K R Burke Clifford Lee 11/1
3 (6) 2½ Duty First 2 9-2 Archie Watson Hollie Doyle 11/2
4 (5) 5 Formal 2 9-2 Sir Michael Stoute William Buick 7/4
5 (4) 11 Definitive 2 9-2 Clive Cox Rossa Ryan 16/1
NR 4 (7) Ecstatic 2 9-2 A P O'Brien NON RUNNER
NR 7 (2) Troia 2 9-2 Ed Walker NON RUNNER
