Bluestocking's devastation of Middleton is astounding

The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes at York was easily navigated by Bluestocking.

In the Group Two, Ralph Beckett's four-year-old Juddmonte horse took off strongly and stalked Sapphire Seas as Rossa Ryan stayed calm in the saddle.

Bluestocking started off at 5-2 and was unopposed as she stormed to an incredible six-length triumph when the Godolphin runner started to fade.

Free Wind, the 15-8 favourite and victor from the previous year, was John and Thady Gosden's runner-up this time.

The winner, who was second in the Irish Oaks and on British Champions Day the previous season, naturally delighted Beckett.

“It’s about time, isn’t it? She was a bridesmaid too many times last year and it’s great to get that race under our belt,” he said. “She has been frustrated. I said to Barry Mahon (of Juddmonte) yesterday that I felt we’d done everything right, but you never know with her. I thought she looked well all week, saddling her. I thought she could have looked better but she’s put it all together well today on a track that really suits her. She ran well here in the Yorkshire Oaks last year and I was quite happy to come back even if the ground did dry out. We tried the cheekpieces on her last start last year and had them on again. I always think the cheekpieces are pretty much a halfway house, you can take them off pretty easily and put them on pretty easily and I don’t think she’ll always need them. Perhaps she’s just come of age today and we had all of our ducks in a row. She was full of confidence and Rossa rode her that way.”