Bluestocking wins the Vermeille after a battle royal

Juddmonte homebred Bluestocking claimed her second Group 1 win, the Prix Vermeille at Paris Longchamp, after a brave rally in the final stages.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 16th September 2024, by Tom Frary:

Showing that her recent travails had left no mark on Sunday, Bluestocking instead relished a heavyweight clash with a younger rival up the ParisLongchamp straight to edge the Gr.1 Prix Vermeille from Aventure. Hard at it when second in the Gr.1 King George VI And Queen
Elizabeth Stakes and when fourth in the G1 Juddmonte International in the previous weeks, Ralph Beckett had considered leaving the Gr.1 Pretty Polly Stakes winner at home so was a relieved trainer in the hallowed winner's enclosure afterwards.

So zestful in the hands Rossa Ryan she was instantly pressing Aventure's pacemaker Halfday to step on it, the race-hardened homebred was visibly tanking up the renowned false straight heading to the home turn after which she left in front as the target. Maxime Guyon had to ask the Wertheimers' fellow TDN Rising Star Aventure to dig deep to get by Bluestocking passing the 300-metre marker and for a few strides it looked as if she had the measure of the visitor. With the pressure on inside the final furlong, lesser souls would have understandably cried enough but the eventual winner was almost willing Ryan to ask more big questions with the French filly's red light flashing alongside her. Sensing Aventure falter for a stride as her reserves ran out, the 27-10 favourite surged again to the line to open up a three-quarters-of-a-length success from the three-year-old in an epic encounter.

Bluestocking's compatriot Emily Upjohn ran her best race for a while to get on the premises late and finish half a length away in third, with some serious fillies and mares adrift of the main trio.

"She worked really well last weekend - she's been working exceptionally well lately, but I wasn't convinced that coming was the right decision," Beckett revealed. "There were a couple of things in the week that I just wasn't happy with. It wasn't the race or the circumstances, more her, but she really loves it and that showed that today. She seemed beaten, but she's simply very tough."

Bluestocking is not entered in the Arc and would need to be supplemented, but Beckett seemed to be leading towards a return trip over Ascot's Champions Day. "She is entered in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, but she got beaten there last year and she's proven that she loves this course so if she's in good shape and if her connections are all in agreement I'd be very tempted to supplement her for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe," he added.