Kitty Matcham lived up to her impeccable pedigree and pulled a 10-1 surprise when landing the seriousquitters.co.uk Rockfel Stakes (Eng-II) by a neck Oct. 20 at Newmarket.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained filly was making a quick return to the racecourse, having just broken her maiden at Naas on Oct. 14.
The Rockfel has proven a good indicator of future high class fillies, as the past two runnings have been won by Finsceal Beo and Speciosa, both of whom went on to capture the Stan James One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) as 3-year-olds.
Love of Dubai, a daughter of More Than Ready , went to the front shortly after the break and led the field of ten at a good clip through the first six furlongs. Johnny Murtagh kept Kitty Matcham held up toward mid-pack until the final furlong, when the pair traveled strongly between horses to range up alongside of the new leader, Missit.
The pair battled for a few strides until Kitty Matcham started to pull away in the final 100 yards, eventually winning by a neck. Missit had to settle for second, three-quarters of a length in front of Royal Confidence.
Final time for the seven furlongs was 1:27.01 over the good to soft going.
Kitty Matcham is by Rock of Gibraltar out of Imagine, by Sadler’s Wells. She is a full sister to multiple stakes-placed Red Rock Canyon, and a three-quarter sister to group I winner Horatio Nelson.
Her dam, Imagine, was named champion 3-year-old filly in England after capturing the Vodafone Oaks (Eng-I) and Irish 1000 Guineas (Ire-I) in 2001. Imagine is a half-sister to champion Generous, winner of the Budweiser Irish Derby (Ire-I) and Ever Ready Derby (Eng-I) in 1991.
