Ralph Beckett had a straightforward answer when asked before yesterday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe why he had advised the owners of Bluestocking to put up a €120,000 (£100,000) supplementary fee to get her into the race. "I couldn't find a reason not to," Beckett said, and the gamble paid off many times in Europe's most valuable race as the four-year-old filly came home a length-and-a-quarter in front of Aventure, under a ride from Rossa Ryan that was Plan A for Longchamp from the first stride to the last.
Longchamp is an unusual track, as much an extended loop as a circuit, and the key to riding it - which is easier said than done - is to save ground wherever possible around the sweeping turns. Ryan was fortunate to be leaving stall three, close to the rail, but all that followed was the result of his ruthlessness in exploiting his draw to the full.
This looked like an exceptionally open renewal of the Arc beforehand, with most of the field separated by about 6lb on ratings, but only a handful of the 16 runners got seriously involved.
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