Juddmonte's Bluestocking Prevails In Vermeille Battle

Showing that her recent travails had left no mark on Sunday, Juddmonte's Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}–Emulous {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) instead relished a heavyweight clash with a younger rival up the ParisLongchamp straight to edge the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille from Aventure (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Hard at it when second in the G1 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 G1 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 (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) 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 3/4-of-a-length success from the 3-year-old in an epic encounter. Bluestocking's compatriot Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) 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.

“When horses are happy to race, as she showed today, I think you have to keep going. Everything points to her acting on all types of ground, save for fast. The ground was clearly slower today than during the 2023 Arc meeting and some ease in the ground will always be to her advantage.”

Christophe Ferland said of Aventure, “She ran a beautiful race, but we came across the proverbial immovable object! The winner is a year older and certainly more battle-hardened than Aventure but she nevertheless ran a very fine race,” he said. “She has lost no caste in defeat and we'll have to see how she comes out of the race when it comes to planning the rest of her season. She was the only 3-year-old splitting older fillies and she will remain in training at four. She might run again. In the Arc possibly.”

John Gosden was happy that Emily Upjohn is continuing her steady progression back to former heights. “The form of the Pretty Polly Stakes is working out really well and the top 3-year-olds and older fillies and mares were all concerned at the finish,” he said. “Aventure is a very good filly, so we're pleased with Emily Upjohn. The ground was a bit sticky today and she prefers it faster but we saw what we wanted to see. She won't go for the Arc if the rains materialise and instead we would be more likely to go to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mares, where she'll get the fast conditions she relishes.”

Pedigree Notes

Bluestocking's dam Emulous, who captured six black-type races over seven furlongs and a mile including the G1 Matron Stakes, is a full-sister to the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron winner First Sitting (GB) and the Listed Criterium de Vitesse winner Daring Diva (GB). The latter is in turn the dam of the G2 Ridgewood Pearl Stakes winner Brooch (Empire Maker), whose son Mandaloun (Into Mischief) captured the Kentucky Derby and Haskell.

Daring Diva also produced the Listed Naas Oaks Trial winner and G2 Blandford S. runner-up Caponata (Selkirk) and is kin to the dam of Camelot's Alounak (Fr) who was second in the GI Canadian International. Emulous is responsible for the unraced War And Peace (GB) (Frankel {GB}), dam of the G3 Ballyogan Stakes runner-up Firebird (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and the stable's promising 2-year-old debut-winning filly Cathedral (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}). She also has the useful 3-year-old gelding Qirat (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), who looks a black-type performer in the making judged by his recent Goodwood handicap win, the unraced 2-year-old gelding Dissident (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a yearling filly by Kingman (GB) and a filly foal again by Frankel.

(R. Ryan – R. Beckett) s'offre le Qatar Prix Vermeille (Gr.1) à @paris_longchamp

Gagnante des Cairn Pretty Polly Stakes (Gr.1) au @curraghrace et derrière Goliath dans les King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, elle remporte son 2⃣ème Groupe 1 pic.twitter.com/ccVE45ZCFO

— Equidia (@equidia) September 15, 2024

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX VERMEILLE-G1, €600,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-15, 3yo/up, f/m, 12fT, 2:31.53, sf.
1–BLUESTOCKING (GB), 130, f, 4, by Camelot (GB)
                1st Dam: Emulous (GB) (G1SW-Ire, $528,533), by Dansili (GB)
                2nd Dam: Aspiring Diva, by Distant View
                3rd Dam: Queen Of Song, by His Majesty
TDN Rising Star. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB); T-Ralph Beckett; J-Rossa Ryan. €342,840. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ire, GSW & MG1SP-Eng, 12-4-5-1, €1,327,185. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Aventure (Ire), 122, f, 3, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Balladeuse (Fr), by Singspiel (Ire). TDN Rising Star. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Wertheimer et Frere (IRE); T-Christophe Ferland. €137,160.
3–Emily Upjohn (GB), 130, m, 5, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Hidden Brief (GB), by Barathea (Ire). TDN Rising Star. (60,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Lloyd Webber, Tactful Finance, S Roden; B-Lordship Stud & Sunderland Holding Inc (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. €68,580.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 3. Odds: 2.70, 5.20, 9.00.
Also Ran: Stay Alert (GB), Opera Singer, Sparkling Plenty (Fr), Survie (Ire), Mosaique (Fr), Dare To Dream (Fr), Sea The Boss (GB), Halfday (Fr), Birthe (Ire).