September 29, 2022 - SALISBURY, Race 1, Alw, GBP £9,500, 8.0F
1st Dam: Emulous (GB)
2st Dam: Aspiring Diva
2st Dam: Queen of Song
Owner: Juddmonte
Breeder: Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB)
Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Initiating a treble for the talent-rich Ralph Beckett juvenile team at Salisbury on Thursday, Juddmonte's Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) sparkled on debut to earn TDN Rising Star status in the card's opener. Sent off a 9-1 shot for division one of the Byerley Stud British EBF Novice S. over a mile, the daughter of the operation's G1 Matron S. heroine Emulous (GB) (Dansili {GB}) was keen early for Rob Hornby buried mid-pack. At work with over two furlongs remaining, the homebred had to go to the far rail for a clear run and picked up impressively to reel in Amo Racing's similarly-unraced Tony Montana (GB) (Kingman {GB}) 100 yards out. In command from there without being fully extended, she had a 1 1/4-length verdict to spare over that promising grandson of the GI E. P. Taylor S. winner Fraulein (GB) (Acatenango {Ger}), with another 1 1/2 lengths back to the experienced Charlie Hills-trained Racingbreaks Ryder (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) in third.
Rob Hornby was impressed. “She's always been nice and has always done it the right way round, without being asked a serious question,” he said. “She had to learn a lot in a short space of time today, but showed a real willing attitude as it was a bit of a barging match. She stretched out and her ears were pricked after the line. She has a lot of size, but is quite a balanced horse who will stay further-she's a beautiful type.” Ralph Beckett added, “She was getting crowded on all sides, so it wouldn't have been easy for her. I wasn't entirely surprised, because she'd shown up well at home but I thought she'd be too green to do that today. She'll have a holiday now and we'll start her in an Oaks trial and see how we go.”
Bluestocking, who becomes the sixth TDN Rising Star for her sire and the second of his current 2-year-old crop alongside Ballydoyle's Alexandroupolis (Ire), is the fifth foal out of the aforementioned Emulous, who also scored on her juvenile debut over seven furlongs at The Curragh in October 2009. Alongside her career-best win in the Matron, she also annexed the G3 Brownstown S., G3 Concorde S. and two editions of the G3 Ridgewood Pearl S. and was a close third in the Matron in her bid for back-to-back renewals of the Leopardstown feature. Her 4-year-old filly Pomelo (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was another winner on her racecourse bow for this stable, while she is the second dam of Lady Ogden's 2-year-old filly Balalaika (Ire) (No Nay Never) who had won at Newcastle on Monday.
Emulous's listed-placed dam Aspiring Diva (Distant View) is also responsible for Dansili's G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron winner First Sitting (GB) and Listed Criterium de Vitesse scorer Daring Diva (GB), with the latter producing another G2 Ridgewood Pearl winner in Brooch (Empire Maker) as well as the Listed Naas Oaks Trial scorer and G2 Blandford S. runner-up Caponata (Selkirk) and the dual group 3-placed Raymonda (Lonhro {Aus}). The Camelot link comes with the family's Alounak (Fr), whose career tally included wins in the G3 Preis der Sparkassen Finanzgruppe and second placings in the GI Canadian International and G2 Hardwicke S. From a stable that knows how to train an Oaks winner, this was as exciting a starting point as is possible for Bluestocking with that Epsom Classic in mind. Emulous's yearling colt is by the speed influence Showcasing (GB), while she also has a colt foal by Frankel (GB).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.