'I just felt she wasn't quite ready' - Ralph Beckett nominates new target for Bluestocking after bypassing Epsom

Royal Ascot will be the next port of call for Bluestocking after she was taken out of the Betfred Oaks at Saturday's confirmation stage. 

The Juddmonte-owned filly had been as short as 12-1 for the Epsom Classic but was removed from contention for next Friday's contest by trainer Ralph Beckett, who felt the race would come too soon after her runner-up finish to Warm Heart in last week's Listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies' Trial Stakes at Newbury.

"All is well with Bluestocking but it was just happening a little bit too quickly for her with the timescale before the Oaks," Beckett said.

"She'll most likely head to Royal Ascot now. I was delighted with her effort at Newbury, but I just felt she wasn't quite ready for the test at Epsom so soon."

The daughter of Camelot, who scored on her sole other start at Salisbury in September, is set for the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes alongside the leading Oaks contenders on the third day of the royal meeting. She also holds Group 1 entries in the Pretty Polly Stakes and Irish Oaks at the Curragh in July.

While Beckett will be without a runner in the Oaks, he will be well represented in the other Group 1 on Friday after Westover was primed for his tilt at the Dahlbury Coronation Cup (3.15) with a strong piece of work on Saturday morning. 

Westover: returns to Epsom in Friday's Coronation CupCredit: Caroline Norris

The four-year-old heads the market for the 1m4f contest following his impressive second to Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March, and he returns to Epsom for the first time since finishing third in last year's Derby.

Beckett said: "We've been very happy with him this spring ever since his run in Meydan, so we're looking forward to getting him out. He galloped yesterday morning and everything is on track."

Westover followed up on his placed effort behind Desert Crown with a wide-margin victory in the 2022 Irish Derby, and while Beckett has kept the son of Frankel over a mile and a half in three starts since, he has not yet ruled out dropping in trip for the Coral-Eclipse in July. 

"He'd need to win on Friday for us to consider dropping back [in trip] for the Eclipse," Beckett added, "but that's something we'll have a more serious discussion about after Epsom."

Read more: 

Godolphin's Eternal Hope supplemented for Oaks but Infinite Cosmos among Epsom absentees 

'There's nothing in there that would scare me' - Johnston's belief in Dubai Mile growing as Derby nears 

'It'll be a dream to pull it off' - The Astrologist set to be a star name at Haydock for final Royal Ascot prep 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.