Blue Bolt wins the Gr.1 Prix Rothschild

The Gr.1 Prix Rothschild saw the same one-two as the Falmouth Stakes between Blue Bolt and Precise at Deauville on Sunday.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 3rd August 2026, by Tom Frary:

Unbeaten in 2026, Blue Bolt, who also captured Royal Ascot's Gr.2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes, drifted left and ended up on the stands' rail under Colin Keane but had enough to deny the Ballydoyle filly by half a length. The early leader Moon Target was a further length and a quarter back in third.

"It wasn't very comfortable watching, but Colin's judged it perfectly," Andrew Balding said. "She's a powerful traveller with great strength and great desire. She's effective on any ground, which is a big help. We always felt that Leopardstown was her race and, afterwards, who knows?"

Behind Precise in the early stages this time, Blue Bolt was still able to overhaul the three-year-old in the final furlong with a fast closing sectional straightened by the fence. There can be no doubt that she is the better of the pair over a mile and, with her next target of the Matron Stakes being left-handed, she looks set to continue the sequence for a while.

"It was pretty straightforward, but she has a tendency to go left when she comes off the bridle and thankfully the rail gave us a little bit of help," her rider said. "She's a big physical and likes to get on with it. She came a long way in a short space of time last year and it's the same this year. There's no reason she can't keep on improving. She definitely won't look out of place against the boys if she goes that way."