Star Fastnet Filly Beats the Colts

Tara Madgwick - Saturday September 16
A brilliant winner of the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes at two, powerhouse Fastnet Rock filly Catchy is no stranger to beating up on the colts and she did it again at Flemington on Saturday when surging clear to win the Group II VRC Danehill Stakes.

The 1200 metre sprint featured a number of aspirational colts that were all put in their place by the glamour filly.



Trained by the Hayes Dabernig partnership and ridden by Regan Bayliss, Catchy (Image Grant Courtney) was a fitter filly following her narrow first up defeat last month and charged home from back in the field out wide to score a three-quarter length win over previously unbeaten Snitzel colt Jukebox.

That pair managed to avoid the fallout from a nasty fall by Limestone, who came down heavily in the final furlong when making ground between runners.

Catchy will now look to step up in distance as she races towards another battle with the colts in the Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas on October 14.

"If you go back and watch the Blue Diamond you see how powerful she was in the last 400 metres and she did that against the boys again today," David Hayes said.

"At the moment she's probably favoured to take on the boys in the $2 million Guineas.

"She'll run against the fillies next start and if she's as dominant again we'll take on the boys in the Guineas.

"The Guineas is worth four times as much as the Thousand Guineas and twice as much fun."

Catchy as a yearlingA $220,000 Inglis Australian Easter purchase from the Coolmore draft for Robert Crabtree's Dorrington Farm, Catchy has now five of seven starts earning over $1.2 million in prizemoney.

Foaled and raised at Coolmore for her breeder Joy Jenkins, Catchy is the fourth winner from four foals to race from Group II winner Cats Whisker, a daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus (USA).

Coolmore sold the full sister to Catchy at Magic Millions this year for $700,000 to Alan Bell Racing and Cats Whisker has a yearling colt by Fastnet Rock.

She was covered last year for the first time by a stallion other than Fastnet Rock visiting Golden Slipper winner Pierro.

Catchy was the second Group winner for champion sire Fastnet Rock on Saturday following on from an earlier win for talented stallion Comin' Through, read about him here.



Advertisment
More Reading...
More G1 Success for Fastnet Rock’s Avantage
A Champion 2YO that won the Karaka Million in 2018, quality Fastnet Rock mare Avantage again showed her class at Trentham on Saturday when scoring a determined victory in the Group I JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) defeating Enzo’s Lad, who had won the previous two editions of the prestigious sprint.
Almanzor Filly Wins G1 French Oaks
Cambridge Stud’s Almanzor (FR) has been firing in Europe this year with a trio of Group II winning three year-olds and one of those is high class filly Gezora, who soared to new heights overnight when taking out the Group I Prix de Diane (2100m) at Chantilly.
Sunshine Coast Success For Sister to Group 1 Winner
Racing at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday saw the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained For Better (Better Than Ready), a full sister to the stable’s Group 1 winner Port Lockroy break her maiden at just her third start for the stable.
Riverbank Going to Extremes
There’s an old saying about keeping yourself in the best of company and Victoria’s Riverbank Farm adheres to it better than most.
Godolphin Make Their Move
The first two days at Magic Millions were without a Godolphin purchase, but they moved swiftly in the first hour of trade on Friday to secure two fillies by Fastnet Rock and Snitzel for $600,000 each.
Redwood Mare Fulfils Lifelong Ambition for Jason Teaz
Former race caller Jason Teaz has formed a successful career as a harness racing trainer, but it was in the thoroughbred code where he was able to fulfil a lifelong ambition at Matamata on Sunday.
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 15
Here is the full list of 60 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$1million Fastnet Rock Colt Chasing Karaka Million 3YO
Victorian trainer David Hayes will be in New Zealand later this week as he puts the finishing touches on three-year-old colt Conqueror ahead of Saturday’s $1 million Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m).
Hong Kong Double for Brutal
With Hong Kong races on Saturday this week and so much going on in Brisbane it was easy to miss the action at Sha Tin with a winning double for young sire Brutal worth noting as it featured a two year-old that has now had two starts for two wins and broke 56 seconds for 1000m!
Nicks That Click – Looks Like This One Has Worked Again
This nick involving two champion sires is well proven and documented with a two year-old winner last Saturday appearing as the latest example.