Rossa Ryan overjoyed after maiden Group 1 triumph in Ireland
The Galway native partnered Bluestocking to a dramatic win in the Cairn Community Games Pretty Polly Stakes
Saturday, 29 June 2024
Rossa Ryan hugs his grandfather Matty after Bluestocking's win in the Pretty Polly Stakes
My granny and grandad are here and they never come racing and my dad are here too. It’s just incredible - Rossa Ryan
Galway jockey Rossa Ryan scored a first Group 1 win on home soil after galvanising Bluestocking to a dramatic late win in the Cairn Community Games Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh, writes Ben Hart.
Ralph Beckett’s filly went off as a favourite but looked destined for second with John and Thady Gosden’s Emily Upjohn four lengths clear two furlongs from home, hitting a low of 1/33 in-running.
But Ryan found an extra gear as Kieran Shoemark’s mount tired, claiming the lead for the first time inside the final half furlong for an emotional victory.
“It’s a bit surreal, I thought she would win, I was quietly confident of her,” Ryan told RacingTV.
“But when Kieran kicked her (Emily Upjohn) off I thought it was gone and she wasn’t coming back.
“But I was just wondering, with the Gosden filly being in front a long time, would she idle. She probably did a small bit and my filly was just getting up into top gear.
“She’s deserving of this, she’s showed loads at home and showed a lot of potential and now she’s fulfilling it.
“My granny and grandad are here and they never come racing - it’s just incredible.”
Ryan has partnered the Juddmonte-owned filly on four of her eight starts and after a couple of near misses last year, including a runners-up finish in the Irish Oaks, he feels she is demonstrating her true potential.
“She did absolutely nothing wrong in all defeats, it’s just great to see her back here and get redemption for what she lost out on,” he added.
“She improved from three to four massively, it’s brilliant for everyone involved.
“She’s a very versatile filly. She had two runs over a mile and a quarter which I thought would be too short for her but we know she’s got a mile and a half up her sleeve.”
Bluestocking has been shortened to 5-2 favourite (from 4) by Betfair and Paddy Power for the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, and the race is likely to be her next target.
“It’s a great day and I’m very pleased," trainer Beckett added. "You look back on last year and we were talking about whether she should be left in training. Juddmonte had no doubt about that and today justifies that all. Her next start is likely to be the Nassau Stakes."
Gordon Elliot-trained Set Point (14/1) was one of only two outsiders to upset the market on Saturday's Curragh card, with the other six races all going the way of the favourite.
It was a special Kildare Village Ladies Derby triumph for jockey Sophie Carter. The champion point-to-point novice rider found only out she was on the ride on Thursday.
“I’m in disbelief,” she said. “I am originally from Oxford and I've been in Ireland for five years.
“I've never had a winner on the track, that is my first and I'm absolutely delighted. I had to lose a few pounds but it was definitely worth it.”
Dermot Weld’s Hazdann (10/1) was the other surprise winner, demonstrating the value of experience in the Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden as the only horse in the field with prior a run under the belt.
Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore combined for a Graded double as Truly Enchanting bounced back from finishing unplaced in the Queen Mary to win the Airlie Stud Stakes, while son of Galileo, Jan Brueghel, stormed to victory in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai International Stakes.
A full brother to Irish Derby winner Sovereign, Jan Brueghel is now a 10-1 shot from 14s for the St Leger at Doncaster with Paddy Power.
O’Brien said: “We were worried about the ground. We knew he had improved a lot from the last day and knew he’d stay further but we weren’t sure about the ground.
“He will stay much further and will be very happy going up to a mile and a half. We came here to educate him and bring him on.
“Ryan said he was watching the photographers at the line, so he was obviously very focused and very aware of what he was doing. That’s a good sign and that means he was doing it very easy.”
Elsewhere, Apricot Ice won for Ger Lyons in the Sherry FitzGerland Country Homes Handicap, while Ken Condon's Arnaman claimed the La Celia Wines Irish EBF Maiden.
Sunday's card is headlined by the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (4.05pm), as favourite Ambiente Friendly looks to secure another win for the visiting trainers.
Ralph Beckett’s filly went off as a favourite but looked destined for second with John and Thady Gosden’s Emily Upjohn four lengths clear two furlongs from home, hitting a low of 1/33 in-running.
But Ryan found an extra gear as Kieran Shoemark’s mount tired, claiming the lead for the first time inside the final half furlong for an emotional victory.
“It’s a bit surreal, I thought she would win, I was quietly confident of her,” Ryan told RacingTV.
Spellbinding performance ... 💫
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 29, 2024
𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 (11-10f) and @Rossaryan15 time things to absolute perfection in the @CommunityGames1 Pretty Polly Stakes @curraghrace @JuddmonteFarms | @RalphBeckett pic.twitter.com/nK2w3IeUhZ
“But when Kieran kicked her (Emily Upjohn) off I thought it was gone and she wasn’t coming back.
“But I was just wondering, with the Gosden filly being in front a long time, would she idle. She probably did a small bit and my filly was just getting up into top gear.
“She’s deserving of this, she’s showed loads at home and showed a lot of potential and now she’s fulfilling it.
“My granny and grandad are here and they never come racing - it’s just incredible.”
Ryan has partnered the Juddmonte-owned filly on four of her eight starts and after a couple of near misses last year, including a runners-up finish in the Irish Oaks, he feels she is demonstrating her true potential.
💬 "She's reaping the rewards now and it's brilliant"
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 29, 2024
Jockey Rossa Ryan reacts after winning the Pretty Polly Stakes aboard Bluestocking @curraghrace
📺 Watch the action live from the Curragh this weekend on @rte2 & @rteplayer: https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7 pic.twitter.com/yUoLHJTSA6
“She did absolutely nothing wrong in all defeats, it’s just great to see her back here and get redemption for what she lost out on,” he added.
“She improved from three to four massively, it’s brilliant for everyone involved.
“She’s a very versatile filly. She had two runs over a mile and a quarter which I thought would be too short for her but we know she’s got a mile and a half up her sleeve.”
Bluestocking has been shortened to 5-2 favourite (from 4) by Betfair and Paddy Power for the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, and the race is likely to be her next target.
“It’s a great day and I’m very pleased," trainer Beckett added. "You look back on last year and we were talking about whether she should be left in training. Juddmonte had no doubt about that and today justifies that all. Her next start is likely to be the Nassau Stakes."
Gordon Elliot-trained Set Point (14/1) was one of only two outsiders to upset the market on Saturday's Curragh card, with the other six races all going the way of the favourite.
Sophie Carter partnered her first 'track' winner on Set Point in the Ladies Derby @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/AiwlBhY0es
— Irishracing.com Live (@IrishRacing365) June 29, 2024
It was a special Kildare Village Ladies Derby triumph for jockey Sophie Carter. The champion point-to-point novice rider found only out she was on the ride on Thursday.
“I’m in disbelief,” she said. “I am originally from Oxford and I've been in Ireland for five years.
“I've never had a winner on the track, that is my first and I'm absolutely delighted. I had to lose a few pounds but it was definitely worth it.”
Dermot Weld’s Hazdann (10/1) was the other surprise winner, demonstrating the value of experience in the Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden as the only horse in the field with prior a run under the belt.
Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore combined for a Graded double as Truly Enchanting bounced back from finishing unplaced in the Queen Mary to win the Airlie Stud Stakes, while son of Galileo, Jan Brueghel, stormed to victory in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai International Stakes.
A full brother to Irish Derby winner Sovereign, Jan Brueghel is now a 10-1 shot from 14s for the St Leger at Doncaster with Paddy Power.
ICYMI, here's Jan Brueghel booking his place on @Ballydoyle's @Goodwood_Races wagon with an all-action victory in the @ABE_Dubai International Stakes @curraghrace
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 29, 2024
Aidan O'Brien now has St Leger ambitions for this unbeaten Galileo colt ... pic.twitter.com/IBTNPa35rq
O’Brien said: “We were worried about the ground. We knew he had improved a lot from the last day and knew he’d stay further but we weren’t sure about the ground.
“He will stay much further and will be very happy going up to a mile and a half. We came here to educate him and bring him on.
“Ryan said he was watching the photographers at the line, so he was obviously very focused and very aware of what he was doing. That’s a good sign and that means he was doing it very easy.”
Elsewhere, Apricot Ice won for Ger Lyons in the Sherry FitzGerland Country Homes Handicap, while Ken Condon's Arnaman claimed the La Celia Wines Irish EBF Maiden.
Sunday's card is headlined by the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (4.05pm), as favourite Ambiente Friendly looks to secure another win for the visiting trainers.