Bluestocking set for little break before Paris or Ascot trip

Prix de l’Opera and British Champions Day are the top targets for star filly.

Bluestocking will search for top-level honours racing against her own sex later in the autumn after her creditable effort in defeat in the red-hot Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

The Juddmonte-owned daughter of Camelot – who broke her Group One duck earlier in the summer – was running over the same course and distance she thrived on in landing the Middleton Stakes in May when finishing fourth to the ultra-impressive City Of Troy.

It is the second successive time Ralph Beckett’s four-year-old has held her own against the best around, having also chased home Goliath for second in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last month.

Having made her connections proud once again on the Knavesmire, she is now set for a short break before further action later in the year.

“We were absolutely delighted with her and when we look back, you are going to say it’s the race of the year and she has given her running to finish fourth,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“You couldn’t not be happy with the run. Of course we all want to win, but she has run exceptionally on ground that is probably a little bit quicker than she would like.

“She has never let us down and came out of the race fine and she will have a little break now while we freshen her up for the autumn.”

Bluestocking winning at the Curragh earlier this year
Bluestocking winning at the Curragh earlier this year (Damien Eagers/PA)

Both a trip to ParisLongchamp on Arc weekend and British Champions Day are on the radar for Bluestocking when she returns to the track, with any potential visit to the French capital likely to involve a shot at the Prix de l’Opera rather than the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe itself.

She could also join Juddmonte’s Andrew Balding-trained Kalpana in the starting stalls for the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on October 19, a race she finished a neck second in last year.

“I would say we will give September a miss and really freshen her up and look at Longchamp and Ascot in October,” continued Mahon.

“I would be favouring the Prix de l’Opera. The owners were keen to go for the Arc before the other day and if she was in the race, you would say fair enough, let’s roll the dice. But she’s not in it, so you are going to have to put out EURO 120,000 to supplement her.

“She’s a high-class filly but taking on the colts, she probably has another couple of lengths to find, so why not stick to your own sex for the rest of the year and try and win another Group One if she could.

“We have two lovely fillies and Kalpana will run at Ascot in the Fillies & Mares. It will be nice to have two exciting fillies to look forward to at the end of the season.”

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