Ribblesdale Stakes |
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| Group 2, Ascot 15:40 £250,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 1m 3f 211y, Class 1  |
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1 Garden Of Eden 7/1
2 Understudy 40/1
3 Catalina Delcarpio 2/1F
11 ran Distances: 3¼l, ½l, 1¼l
Time: 2m 28.91s (fast by 0.79s)
Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore again 🤝
— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) June 19, 2025
GARDEN OF EDEN wins the Ribblesdale for @Ballydoyle 👏#RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/IXt9iMkwEn
The Ribblesdale Stakes has become familiar territory for Aidan O’Brien—and Garden Of Eden made it three on the bounce for Ballydoyle with a commanding performance, stepping up in both trip and class to run away with the Group 2 prize under a typically measured Ryan Moore ride.
It was Island Hopping who set a searing gallop early, stringing the field out as Moore settled Garden Of Eden just in behind. But as they turned for home and the leader cried enough, Moore shifted his filly into gear with two furlongs to run—and the response was emphatic. The daughter of Saxon Warrior powered away to score by three and a quarter lengths, leaving the rest chasing shadows.
Understudy, a 40/1 outsider and making just her third career start, stayed on smartly from the rear to snatch second, while the 2/1 favourite, Catalina Delcarpio, loomed momentarily but faded slightly into third, another half-length behind.
The result continues O’Brien’s Ribblesdale stranglehold, following Warm Heart (2023) and Port Fairy (2024)—and he was full of praise for his latest rising star:
“That was very impressive. She’s just starting to flourish. Stepping up in trip was always going to suit her. She’s by Saxon Warrior and they tend to keep improving the further they go. The Irish Oaks is on the radar—but so is America.”
Moore, too, was full of admiration after a ride that demanded patience and precision:
“They went hard early and we got a bit out of rhythm. She dropped the bridle a few times, ran in snatches—but when I asked, she really quickened. She’s just kept improving with each run. Typical Aidan, really—gets them better and better.”
Behind her, there was quiet satisfaction for Understudy’s camp, with Thady Gosden noting:
“Only her third run, and she’s taken a huge step forward. She’s bred to be good and she’s improving fast.”
And while Catalina Delcarpio couldn’t land a blow late, trainer Paddy Twomey saw plenty of promise:
“She just didn’t quite see the trip out. She’ll be a lovely filly over 10 furlongs next year—we’re playing the long game. Something like the Blandford might suit.”
But on the day, the honours belonged to Garden Of Eden—and with her upward trajectory and tactical versatility, the Ballydoyle bloom is far from full flower just yet.
Ribblesdale Stakes (Fillies' Group 2)
£250,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 1m 3f 211y, Class 1
11 ran
Going: Good to Firm, Good in places
1 (5) Garden Of Eden 3 9-2 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 7/1
2 (4) 3¼ Understudy 3 9-2 John & Thady Gosden Robert Havlin 40/1
3 (3) ½ Catalina Delcarpio 3 9-2 P Twomey W J Lee 2/1F
4 (7) 1¼ Go Go Boots 3 9-2 John & Thady Gosden William Buick 14/1
5 (6) nk Life Is Beautiful 3 9-2 John & Thady Gosden Tom Marquand 6/1
6 (10) 1½ Serenity Prayer 3 9-2 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 100/30
7 (8) ¾ Lady Vivian 3 9-2 Ralph Beckett James Doyle 11/1
8 (9) 2¼ Ecstatic 3 9-2 A P O'Brien Wayne Lordan 18/1
9 (11) nse Hollys Graces 3 9-2 Henry De Bromhead Colin Keane 50/1
10 (2) 7½ Island Hopping 3 9-2 A P O'Brien Dylan Browne McMonagle 25/1
11 (1) 6 Caspi Star 3 9-2 Charlie Johnston Silvestre De Sousa 18/1
RIBBLESDALE STAKES WINNERS
YEAR GR WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY OWNER AGE/WGT SP
2024 2 PORT FAIRY Aidan O'Brien IRE Ryan Moore M Tabor, D Smith, S Magnier & Westerberg 3-9-02 12/1
2023 2 WARM HEART A P O'Brien Ryan Moore Mrs John Magnier/Michael Tabor/Derrick Smith/Westerberg 3 9-02 13/2
2022 2 MAGICAL LAGOON Mrs John Harrington Shane Foley Yu Long Investments 3 9-02 11/4
2021 2 LOVING DREAM John & Thady Gosden Robert Havlin Lordship Stud 3 9-00 18/1
2020 2 FRANKLY DARLING John Gosden Frankie Dettori Anthony Oppenheimer 3-9-00 11/8F
2019 2 STAR CATCHER John Gosden Frankie Dettori Anthony Oppenheimer 3-9-00 4/1
2018 2 MAGIC WAND Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Markus Jooste 3-9-00 10/3
2017 2 CORONET John Gosden Olivier Peslier Denford Stud 3-9-00 9/1
2016 2 EVEN SONG Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith 3-9-00 15/8F
2015 2 CURVY David Wachman IRE Ryan Moore Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith 3-9-00 9/2
2014 2 BRACELET Aidan O’Brien IRE Joseph O’Brien Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith& Sue Magnier 3-9-00 10/1
2013 2 RIPOSTE Lady Cecil Tom Queally Khalid Abdullah 3-8-12 9/2
2012 2 PRINCESS HIGHWAY Dermot Weld IRE Pat Smullen Moyglare Stud Farms Ltd 3-8-12 17/2
2011 2 BANIMPIRE Jim Bolger IRE Kevin Manning Jackie Bolger 3-8-12 3/1F
2010 2 HIBAAYEB Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori Godolphin 3-8-12 4/1JF
2009 2 FLYING CLOUD Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori Godolphin 3-8-12 5/1
2008 2 MICHITA John Gosden Jimmy Fortune Stonerside Stable LLC 3-8-12 100/30F
2007 2 SILKWOOD Michael Jarvis Philip Robinson Sheikh Mohammed 3-8-12 4/1
2006 2 MONT ETOILE William Haggas Michael Hills Tony Hirschfeld/Des Scott/Lester Piggott 3-8-12 25/1
*2005 2 THAKAFAAT John Dunlop Willie Supple Hamdan Al Maktoum 3-8-11 22/1
2004 2 PUNCTILIOUS Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori Godolphin 3-8-11 9/2
2003 2 SPANISH SUN Sir Michael Stoute Richard Hughes Khalid Abdullah 3-8-11 9/2
2002 2 IRRESISTIBLE JEWEL Dermot Weld IRE Pat Smullen Moyglare Stud Farms Ltd 3-8-08 12/1
2001 2 SAHARA SLEW John Oxx IRE Johnny Murtagh Lady O’Reilly 3-8-08 14/1
2000 2 MILETRIAN Mick Channon Michael Roberts Miletrian Plc 3-8-08 10/1
1999 2 FAIRY QUEEN Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori Godolphin 3-8-08 8/1
1998 2 BAHR Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori Godolphin 3-8-08 13/8F
1997 2 YASHMAK Henry Cecil Kieren Fallon Khalid Abdullah 3-8-08 7/2
1996 2 TULIPA Andre Fabre FR Sylvain Guillot Sheikh Mohammed 3-8-08 15/2
1995 2 PHANTOM GOLD Lord Huntingdon Frankie Dettori H M The Queen 3-8-08 5/1
1994 2 BOLAS Barry Hills Pat Eddery Khalid Abdullah 3-8-08 3/1F
1993 2 THAWAKIB John Dunlop Willie Carson Hamdan Al Maktoum 3-8-08 5/2F
1992 2 ARMARAMA Clive Brittain Michael Roberts Charles Olley 3-8-08 5/2F
1991 2 THIRD WATCH John Dunlop John Reid Peter Goulandris 3-8-08 20/1
1990 2 HELLENIC Michael Stoute Walter Swinburn Lord Weinstock 3-8-08 6/1
1989 2 ALYDARESS Henry Cecil Steve Cauthen Sheikh Mohammed 3-8-09 4/1
1988 2 MISS BONIFACE Paul Kelleway Cash Asmussen Paul Kelleway 3-8-08 12/1
1987 2 QUEEN MIDAS Henry Cecil Willie Ryan Louis Freedman 3-8-08 9/1
1986 2 GULL NOOK John Dunlop Pat Eddery Lord Halifax 3-8-08 8/1
1985 2 SALLY BROWN Michael Stoute Walter Swinburn Bob Cowell 3-8-07 7/1
1984 2 BALLINDERRY Jeremy Tree Tony Ives Khalid Abdullah 3-8-07 9/2
1983 2 HIGH HAWK John Dunlop Willie Carson Sheikh Mohammed 3-8-07 7/1
1982 2 DISH DASH Robert Armstrong Bruce Raymond John Bryce 3-8-07 6/1
1981 2 STRIGIDA Henry Cecil Lester Piggott Lord Howard de Walden 3-8-07 5/1
1980 2 SHOOT A LINE Dick Hern Willie Carson R Budgett 3-8-11 5/2JF
1979 2 EXPANSIVE Dick Hern Willie Carson H M The Queen 3-8-03 11/2
1978 2 RELFO Paddy Prendergast IRE Christy Roche Lord Granard 2-8-10 12/1
1977 2 NANTICIOUS Dermot Weld IRE Walter Swinburn Mrs Bertram R Firestone 3-8-10 15/2
*run at York
