Bluestocking won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday (October 6) to reward trainer Ralph Beckett's confidence in adding his star filly to the field of Europe's most prestigious race at this week's late supplementary stage.
The English runner ridden by Irishman Rossa Ryan came home clear of French filly Aventure with Irish runner Los Angeles third at Longchamp.
Bluestocking is the 10th filly or mare to win the Arc since 2000 and for Beckett it made up for his disappointment last year when Westover finished second after being passed by Ace Impact.
She was only added to the field this week at a fee of 120,000 euros ($130,000) - not a bad investment considering her owners picked up almost three million euros in prize money.
For Arc de Triomphe connoisseurs the winning colours are very familiar as it is a record seventh time they have been welcomed back to the winners enclosure.
Saudi Prince Khalid Abdullah may have died but his family have kept the flame burning.
For 53-year-old Beckett, though, it is a first Arc.
"She's extraordinary, good horses train themselves," said Beckett, whose cousin Teddy is the former racing manager to the Abdullah's Juddmonte racing operation.
Beckett said he was in awe of the stoic nature of his 11-2 winner Bluestocking.
"It's a tribute to her constitution as much as anything else," said Beckett.
"It's extraordinary to have a horse to start in May and dance all those dances and then come here and do that only three weeks after what looked like a tough race in the Vermeille.
"She is an extraordinary beast."
