In a surprising turn of events, Vale Bluebell delivered a remarkable performance in the Select Stayers for Jill Llewellin. This local contender, a half-sister to Olympic and dual Sussex Cup finalist Wasted Monday, led the field home over the 730m distance, demonstrating her mastery of the track.
Throughout the race, Vale Bluebell remained close to the front-runners, skilfully navigating the course and seizing her opportunity by slipping inside off the second bend. Although the race didn’t feature a standout lineup on paper, with only six entrants, Vale Bluebell’s win was still impressive.
Her winning time of 44.62 seconds compares favourably to last year’s champion, Space Jet, who clocked 44.34 seconds, and to the 2023 runner-up, Coonough Crow, who finished in 44.66 seconds. Both of these races were run on a track rated officially +50, making Vale Bluebell's performance even more noteworthy.