'By God she's tough' - Rossa Ryan galvanises Bluestocking to claim first Group 1 win in Pretty Polly thriller

Bluestocking showed magnificent resolution to make her Group 1 breakthrough in a riveting running of the Pretty Polly Stakes, devouring the final two furlongs of the long, punishing Curragh straight under Rossa Ryan to pip a forcefully ridden Emily Upjohn by a half length.

The Juddmonte-owned four-year-old suffered an agonising defeat of her own when nailed late on by Savethelastdance at this track in last season's Irish Oaks, but she was dishing out the heartbreak this time as she thundered home to give trainer Ralph Beckett and Galway native Ryan a memorable success.

Having returned this season with a magnificent six-length success in the Group 2 Middleton Stakes at York last month, Bluestocking went off a heavily backed 11-10 chance in a market and finish dominated by British-trained fillies.

The Joseph O'Brien-trained Lumiere Rock broke smartly under Dylan Browne McMonagle to take the field along at a tepid pace early on. The slow tempo was always going to be to the detriment of Emily Upjohn, who has a proclivity to overrace, and, while she wasn't inordinately keen, she was still in Kieran Shoemark's hands when rounding the first bend on the outside with no cover.

Shoemark elected to try to take the race by the scruff of the neck, deciding the sedate gallop wasn't going to see his mount to best effect, and ranged Emily Upjohn alongside Lumiere Rock before taking up matters at the three-furlong pole in stylish fashion, when all of her rivals were beginning to feel the pinch, including Bluestocking in fourth.

For the majority of the straight it seemed an inspired decision from Shoemark as Emily Upjohn burst clear into a seemingly unassailable lead, hitting 1-33 in running on the Betfair Exchange. But Ryan hadn't gone for everything on his plucky partner and she began to charge home, eventually whizzing past her rival with 50 yards to go and scoring a shade cosily at the finish.

Beckett said: "Rossa had an inkling Emily Upjohn might go forward at some point. It was tough for her to run Emily Upjohn down but, in a way, it helped us as it gave her something to aim at. 

"Last season's Irish Oaks defeat will live long in the memory for the wrong reasons, but it doesn't matter now."

Winning connections after Bluestocking's victory in the Group 1 Pretty Polly StakesCredit: Patrick McCann

The winner has been the bridesmaid plenty of times in her career, despite being only four, having finished runner-up four times last season, twice in Group 1 company, but she certainly knows where the winning post is now and further Group 1 targets are in the offing.

"You'd think the Nassau is the right place to go," said Beckett. "She clearly enjoys York as she's run well twice there so the Yorkshire Oaks would probably be a good idea. I don't think trip is that important, I just think conditions have to be right and they were today. 

"It's lovely for Rossa. It was great to see his family in the winner's enclosure. I enjoy coming to the Curragh, although it hasn't always been good to me! I got done a short head in the Irish 1,000 Guineas [Penkenna Princess in 2005] and Bluestocking in the Irish Oaks last year, but it's always a pleasure to come here."

Ryan, who was riding his seventh winner in Ireland and his third at the Curragh, said: "She had to dig deep for me. I thought Kieran had gone on me as we didn't go overly quick. 

"My plan was to take a lead and I didn't think I would get shuffled back that far. But by God, she's tough. I knew when I hit the hill in the last furlong that I'd be doing my best work. 

Rossa Ryan hugs his grandfather Matty after winning on BluestockingCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"I'm so delighted for everyone at home in Kimpton [Down Stables}; they are the unsung heroes.

"It's great, especially in these silks as they have a lot of history, and to get one for them is brilliant."

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Content bounced back to form to finish four and a quarter lengths away in third, while Lumiere Rock stuck to her task to cross the line in fourth.

Paddy Power cut the winner into 5-2 (from 4) for the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on August 1.

Read this next:

'I don't think it's sunk in yet but it's fantastic' - Brian Ellison lands fairytale first Northumberland Plate with Onesmoothoperator 

The Racing Post is now available to follow on WhatsApp channels!

Follow Racing Post Insider on WhatsApp and you can now start receiving messages and alerts for the latest news, tips, insights, live reactions and much more. Click the group link and get Racing Post notifications straight to your phone via WhatsApp.