Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Stakes
Group 2, York 15:15 £150,000 guaranteed, Fillies, 4yo plus, 1m 2f 56y, Class 1
Tweet Thursday 16th May 2024

1 Bluestocking 5/2
2 Free Wind 15/8F
3 Infinite Cosmos 7/1
5 ran NR: Novus Distances: 6l, nk, nk
Time: 2m 9.80s (slow by 1.60s)

Bluestocking, a two-time runner-up at Group 1 level, makes a fine start to her four-year-old career with a big performance in the @ABE_Dubai Middleton Stakes.

Many congratulations to @Rossaryan15, @RalphBeckett and @JuddmonteFarms pic.twitter.com/wLXCJDgU8w

— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) May 16, 2024

Bluestocking put on a dazzling performance, the four-year-old, owned by Juddmonte and trained by Ralph Beckett, showing her class as she tracked Sapphire Seas under jockey Rossa Ryan.

When the Godolphin runner began to fade, Bluestocking surged ahead and cruised to an impressive six-length victory. Starting at 5-2, she left her rivals unchallenged.

Last year’s winner, Free Wind, the 15-8 favorite, settled for second place this time, representing the training duo of John and Thady Gosden.

Beckett, understandably thrilled with Bluestocking’s performance, highlighted her previous achievements, including a second-place finish in the Irish Oaks and a strong showing on British Champions Day last season.

“It’s about time, isn’t it? She was a bridesmaid too many times last year and it’s great to get that race under our belt,” he said.

“She has been frustrating. I said to Barry Mahon (of Juddmonte) yesterday that I felt we’d done everything right, but you never know with her.

“I thought she looked well all week, saddling her I thought she could have looked better but she’s put it all together well today on a track that really suits her. She ran well here in the Yorkshire Oaks last year and I was quite happy to come back even if the ground did dry out.

“We tried the cheekpieces on her last start last year and had them on again. I always think the cheekpieces are pretty much a halfway house, you can take them off pretty easily and put them on pretty easily and I don’t think she’ll always need them.

“Perhaps she’s just come of age today and we had all of our ducks in a row. She was full of confidence and Rossa rode her that way.”

The Kimpton Downs handler was non-committal regarding future plans, added: “We’re well entered up and we’ll work it out as we go along, I think.

“The Coronation Cup is a possibility, but it’s quite soon (15 days). We’ll have a think and see how she comes out it, all options are open.”

Of Free Wind, John Gosden said: “She stayed on nicely, but she needs the mile and a half now, she’s that bit older – she’s won a Park Hill over a mile and six so I was very happy with that run.

“She was doing all her best work in the last furlong so we’ll step her up in trip. The Lancashire Oaks at Haydock is the obvious race, but this is the only one you can run in early in the year so we’ll step her up.

“She only just got up to win this last year, but this year the winner has improved mightily from three to four. I was delighted with ours, but we’ll step up to a mile and a half. She got beaten a nose in the Yorkshire Oaks last year, so we’ll try that again, but we’re likely to meet this filly there.

“The idea is to get a Group One this year, she’s won a Group Two the last three seasons.”

Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Stakes (Fillies' Group 2)
£150,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m 2f 56y, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (1)    Bluestocking 4 9-2 Ralph Beckett Rossa Ryan 5/2
2 (4) 6 Free Wind 6 9-2 John & Thady Gosden Kieran Shoemark 15/8F
3 (5) nk Infinite Cosmos 4 9-2 Sir Michael Stoute Ryan Moore 7/1
4 (3) nk Sapphire Seas 4 9-2 Charlie Appleby William Buick 3/1
5 (6) 50 Caernarfon 4 9-2 Jack Channon James Doyle 16/1
NR 5 (2) Novus 4 9-2 Gary & Josh Moore NON RUNNER