Co Galway jockey Rossa Ryan enjoyed the biggest moment of his career to-date when partnering Bluestocking to success in Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp.

Ryan had the Ralph Beckett-trained mare in the perfect position throughout the race, just stalking the front-running Los Angeles on the inside before going for home two furlongs out.

The 5/1 shot ran out a clear winner, chased home by Aventure and Los Angeles. The distances were a length and a quarter and a length and a half.

The favourite Sosie finished fourth, Sevenna's Knight was fifth and Zarakem was sixth.

By Camelot out of Emulous, the five-year-old Bluestocking won the Tattersalls Gold Cup and Prix Vermeille already this year. She met defeat twice, when second to Goliath in the King George at Ascot and when fourth behind City Of Troy in the International at York.

She was bred by her owners, Juddmonte, who of course also won the Arc twice with Enbale a few years ago, and previously with the likes of Dancing Brave, Rainbow Quest, Rail Link and Workforce.

It was a first Arc win for Beckett, who saddled Westover to finish second to Ace Impact in this race last year.

“It’s a tribute to her constitution as much as anything,” said Beckett. “It’s extraordinary to have a horse to start in May and dance all those dances, the King George, the Juddmonte (International), and get beaten and come back and do that.

“After only three weeks and what looked like a tough race in the Vermeille, it’s extraordinary. She is an extraordinary beast.

“I think the draw helped, it was terrific. He got her into the right place and everything went to plan, he was able to pull it off.

“Westover hit the front with a furlong left last year and I was kind of waiting for something else to come and get her, what a day.

“This is our best ever day, it has to be. I’ve been lucky enough to win a couple of Oaks but this is our best day, for sure.

“Barry Mahon and the Juddmonte team are an extraordinary outfit to work for in that there is no pressure, ever.

“Good horses train themselves. Amazing, really. I never thought she’d win.”

A jubilant Ryan told Equidia soon after passing the line: “I know everyone overlooked her, but on form she had been at the top table and done it all. She just proved she’s something else.

“I can’t really believe it, this filly has been something else to my career.

“My family are here, they all came over and it’s very surreal.”

Mahon, European racing manager for Juddmonte, said: “It’s absolutely amazing, the job Ralph has done with this filly all year has been unreal. It’s unbelievable, what a filly.

“That’s Juddmonte’s seventh winner in the race, I think that makes them the winning-most owner of all time so that’s a special record.

“It’s a brilliant day. She had a perfect trip the whole way round, Rossa had it all planned in his head. He was going to be handy, he had a lovely trip the whole way and at the top of the straight I thought it was going to take a good one to beat her.”

Ryan, from Tuam, is a former pony racing champion who began his professional career with Richard Hannon in 2017. He was appointed first jockey to Amo Racing in 2020 but they parted ways in 2022. Since then Ryan has ridden mainly or Beckett and rode his first Group 1 winner on Bluestocking at the Curragh earlier this year.

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