At the Victorian Breeders Awards night on Saturday, Darley shuttler Blue Point (IRE) was honoured as Racing Victoria VOBIS Sire of the Year and while his offspring here have lacked the G1 success to keep him coming back he does have a very good mare in Europe this year in Blue Bolt.
A Juddmonte Farm flagbearer prepared by Andrew Balding, Blue Bolt defeated champion 3YO Starspangledbanner filly Precise last start in the Group I Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket and she repeated the performance overnight at Deaville to beat her again in the Group I Prix Rothschild (1600m).
Ridden by Colin Keane, the older mare was shade too strong for the filly in scoring by half a length to remain unbeaten in 2026. Blue Bolt has the overall record of seven wins from 10 starts.
“Colin [Keane] gave her a wonderful ride. I wasn't very comfortable watching it as I thought we were beat the last furlong but he's judged it to perfection,” said Andrew Balding.
“She's got great physical strength for a filly, that's her biggest quality, she's got great desire as well and she's effective on any ground, we always felt the Matron (G1) at Leopardstown was her race this year so we won't lose sight of that.”
Blue Bolt was purchased for €400,000 from the Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale by Sackville Donald for Juddmonte and is a half-sister to stakes-winners Sea Theme and Sky Angel being the best of four winners from six foals to race from Group III winner Mayhem.
There is plenty of stamina in this female family with third dam Group I winner Cerulean Sky.
Blue Bolt is the fourth Group I winner among 31 stakes-winners for Blue Point, who shuttled to Darley Victoria for five seasons.
For the record, Blue Point sired 82 Australian winners last season of $7.4million and was second on the Australian Third Season Sires table by earnings splitting Too Darn Hot (GB) and Alabama Express.
