Thistle Bird and George Baker see it out well from Venus De Milo and Joseph O'Brien© Photo Healy Racing
The Group 1 Newbridge Silverware Pretty Polly Stakes for the fillies, went for export again – third year running – but not to last year's winner and favourite, Ambivalent Roger Charlton's Thistle Bird was the heroine on this occasion under George Baker.
Her regular rider James Doyle was in France where his mount Noble Mission was so narrowly denied in the Grand Prix De Saint Cloud.
However, Baker, who so many people were pleased to see win at Royal Ascot this year on Contributor in the Wolferton Handicap, was a more than able deputy, riding the Selkirk mare for just the second time.
They got to the front a furlong out and stayed on strongly from there to account for Venus De Milo (bidding to give Ballydoyle a five-timer) by two and three parts of a length. Just The Judge took the third for the visitors too, with the aforementioned Ambivalent in fourth.
She'd attempted to make all but couldn't raise her effort when headed from three furlongs out.
Charlton declared: "I'm really delighted. There's lots of things that trainers get lucky at, and for a mare at that age (six) to go for a Group 1 and for it to work out is hugely satisfying.
"She travelled really well and she relaxed really well.
"She doesn't mind if it's firm or it's heavy and she's tough and improving and it says a lot about keeping horses in training.
"She was going to retire after the Nassau last year but I persuaded the owner (Lady Rothschild) that she didn't have any other horses with me that were going to win good prizes so we delayed putting her in foal.
"She's tough and sound and if she never runs again she's done it now and she'll make a great addition to the broodmare band."
D.P. McDonogh, rider of Harasiya trained by John M. Oxx, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount lost her action in the straight.
(GC & EM)
