Bedtime Story delivers in Debutante to extend perfect record

It may have lacked the fireworks of some of her previous starts, but Bedtime Story ultimately maintained her unbeaten record with a hard-fought victory in the Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes at the Curragh.

A daughter of Frankel out of dual Nunthorpe heroine Mecca’s Angel, Aidan O’Brien’s filly made a winning debut at Leopardstown in June before producing a scintillating display to land the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot by nine and a half lengths.

Having since completed her hat-trick with a comfortable success in Leopardstown’s Silver Flash Stakes, Bedtime Story was a 1-16 favourite to make it four from four in a race her trainer had won on 13 previous occasions, but it was harder work that most would have anticipated.

Ryan Moore’s mount was still in third place passing the furlong marker, with her stablemate Exactly and Jessica Harrington’s Barnavara in her sights.

Moore had to resort to his whip to ensure Bedtime Story bridged the gap, but she did get rolling and was half a length in front of Exactly at the line, with Barnavara a neck further behind in third.

O’Brien said: “We didn’t want to go too fast today as it was a prep for the next day. She has a lot of speed early and Ryan was lovely on her as we didn’t want to empty her out today.

“She needed to get down and race a little bit late, but we couldn’t be happier really.

“She’ll go for the Moyglare now.”

Bedtime Story is an unchanged 3-1 favourite for next year’s 1000 Guineas with Coral, who also make her their 5-1 market leader for the Oaks.