St Leger Hope Bunting Still a PossFor Yorkshire Cup

Godolphin's dual classic wining filly Blue Bunting could yet take her chance at York's Ebor meeting in mid-August and bid for the Group 1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks before moving on to take her chance in the final classic of the 2011 season, the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster a few weeks later, writes Elliot Slater.

The Mahmood al Zarooni-trained daughter of Dynaformer conjured up another sterling effort at the Curragh on Sunday. Looking like she would finish out of the frame entering the final furlong, she produced a tremendous turning of foot to whizz down the outside of the field and pass four horses in the last 100 yards eventually getting up in the final stride under a brilliant Frankie Dettori ride to score by a short-head from Jim Bolger's brave Banimpire, winner of the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot on her previous outing. Those tracking the York Ebor betting must have been impressed.

Dettori's performance on Sheikh Mohammed's filly made up for the poor ride he gave her at Epsom when the 1000 Guineas winner was never ideally placed. After surging through to take third close home, the Italian-born rider dropped his hands in the final strides surrendering the minor honour to the rallying Izzi Top, an error that incurred him a significant suspension. 

Stamina certainly seems Blue Bunting's strong suit and she looks the perfect candidate for the extra two furlongs of the St Leger, but if she recovers in time there is a chance she may also be called up for duty in the Yorkshire Oaks at the Betfair York Ebor 2011 meeting.

Latest reports though suggest she has lost weight since her big effort in Ireland and might need more time than is available to recover from her exertions at the Curragh. Godolphin have won the Yorkshire Oaks only once before, when the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Punctilious landed the prize under Kerrin McEvoy back in 2005.