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UK: Blue Bunting Proves She's The Best

3 minute read

Champion filly honours belong to Blue Bunting after she landed her third Group One classic with a hard-fought win in the Yorkshire Oaks on the Knavesmire on Thursday.

The 1000 Guineas and Irish Oaks heroine kept on stoutly in the hands of Frankie Dettori to hold off the persistent challenge of Vita Nova.

Blue Bunting, owned by Godolphin and trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni, led from over a furlong out to win by three-quarters of a length from Sir Henry Cecil's Vita Nova with Wonder Of Wonders left three and three-quarter lengths back in third.

Dettori said: "She was in season today, so her mind wasn't exactly on the job - she made it really hard work for me.

“She's never going to be flash winning by a long margin but she's very hard to pass. Her form all year has been red hot and she's very tough.

"It's up to Sheikh Mohammed, but she deserves to be there in the St Leger if they want to. She's a very good filly."

Racing manager Simon Crisford added: "It was a fantastic effort. She's such a tough filly - so resolute.

"She's really brave and honest. She's a fantastic filly to have won a Guineas, an Irish Oaks and a Yorkshire Oaks on different types of ground.

“We'll see how she is over the next week or so and then make a decision.

"It's not definite that she will run in the St Leger, but it is quite possible.

“I would definitely say she'd stay the trip. She wasn't stopping today and the further she went the better she was, so I'm sure a mile and six wouldn't be any trouble to her at all.

“She'd have a great chance of winning if she went there. She's a true star."

Cecil said of Vita Nova: "She ran a fabulous race. I'm really pleased with her.

“You can't take anything away from her as there was a long way back to the third.

“We might look at a race at Ascot on Champions' Day over a mile and a half."


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