Ryan savours 'home' Group One on Bluestocking

Galway jockey Rossa Ryan rode his first Irish Group One victory aboard Bluestocking who collared Emily Upjohn late on in the Pretty Polly at the Curragh.

Emily Upjohn travelled strongly into the straight and Kieran Shoemark made the decisive move to go for home a quarter of a mile out.

She soon asserted and had the chasing Bluestocking and Lumiere Rock scrubbed along to try and make headway outside the final furlong.

The leader kept up the gallop, however, she got tired in the closing stages and was all out to see off a staying-on Bluestocking who picked her pocket close home.

The winner rewarded favourite backers at 11/10 and beat the 3/1 runner-up by half a length. Content gave her each-way backers a return in third at 12/1 without landing a glove on the first two.

Ryan said: "It is brilliant!

"She had to dig deep with me and I though Kieran (Shoemark on Emily Upjohn) had gone on me.

"We hadn't gone overly quick and my plan was to take a lead off one. I didn't think I would get shuffled back that far but, by God, she's tough.

"I knew when I had hit the hill in the last furlong I'd be doing my best work.

"I'm so delighted really for everyone at home in Kimpton - they are the unsung heroes. Eric who looks after him is not here today, but he definitely deserves it.

"The last time she was here she got to the front and just idled. I think that was just a bit of immaturity so they (cheekpieces) were put on on Champions Day and the last day. I think we all felt the last day when she was so impressive (that) she didn't need them. I don't think she did.

"She's a big mare and I'd say really and truly as a three-year-old she just needed a bit of time. She's reaping the rewards now and it is brilliant."

Trainer Ralph Beckett added: “It was great. Rossa had an inkling that Emily Upjohn might go forward at some point. In a way it helped us, in a way it was tough for her to run down, but it gave us something to aim at.

“It's great to get it done. Last Irish Oaks Day will live long in the memory for the wrong reasons, but it doesn't matter now.”

On leaving the cheekpieces off, he added:- “We thought about it, but last time she travelled so well through the race we thought we'd leave them. We have the right to put them back on of course.

“I thought she was always going to get there in the end, I thought she was always going to pick up as she finds plenty under pressure.

“You'd think the Nassau is the right place to go and she clearly enjoys York, she's run well twice there, so the Yorkshire Oaks will probably be a good idea as well.

“I don't think trip is that important, I just think conditions have to be right and they were today.”

Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon added: “The dam (Emulous) won the Matron in Leopardstown, so she was a high-class filly. She had speed to win a Group 1 over a mile.

“Last year we sat down at the end of the season and felt we probably stretched the filly a little bit with a mile-and-a-half and I think she's a revelation this year back over ten.

“This means a lot to Juddmonte. We have two bases here in Ireland and a lot of staff. It means a lot to Prince Khalid's family and all the staff. It's a great result and we're very happy.”

This was Bluestocking's first winner at the highest level having finished runner-up in last season's Irish Oaks.

Ryan rode a Group 1 winner in Britain on Shaquille in the July Cup at Newmarket last year.

Paddy Power made Bluestocking 5/2 favourite from 4/1 for the Yorkshire Oaks and also 5/2 favourite from 4/1 for the Nassau Stakes.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson