BRAVE BLUE TAKES YORKSHIRE OAKS

Blue Bunting landed her third Group One triumph with a hard-fought win in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks on the Knavesmire.

The 1000 Guineas and Irish Oaks heroine kept on stoutly in the hands of Frankie Dettori to hold off the persistent challenge of Vita Nova.

The 11-4 favourite, owned by Godolphin and trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni, led over a furlong out to win by three-quarters of a length from Sir Henry Cecil's filly, with Wonder Of Wonders a further three and three-quarter lengths back in third.

Dettori said: "She was in season today, so her mind wasn't exactly on the job - she made it really hard work for me. She's never going to be flash - ie winning by a long margin - but she's very hard to pass. Her form all year has been red hot and she's very tough.

"It's up to Sheikh Mohammed, but she deserves to be there (in the Ladbrokes St Leger) if they want to. She's a very good filly."

Racing manager Simon Crisford added: "It was a fantastic effort. She's such a tough filly - so resolute - and when the second came to her, Blue Bunting wasn't having any of it.

"She's really brave and honest. She's a fantastic filly to have won a Guineas, an Irish Oaks and a Yorkshire Oaks on different types of ground. I've just talked to Sheikh Mohammed and he said 'Let's keep all the options open'. We'll see how she is over the next week or so and then make a decision.

"It's not definite that she will run in the St Leger, but it is quite possible. I would definitely say she'd stay the trip. She wasn't stopping today and the further she went the better she was, so I'm sure a mile and six wouldn't be any trouble to her at all. She'd have a great chance of winning if she went there. She's a true star."

Cecil said of Vita Nova: "She ran a fabulous race. I'm really pleased with her. I like winning, but you can't take anything away from her as there was a long way back to the third. She'll stay in training next year and I like spreading her races out. We might look at a race at Ascot on Champions' Day over a mile and a half."

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