Kitty Rose Delivers Impressive Stakes Success
Kitty Rose made it two wins from as many starts and became the first Stakes winner for first-season sire Invincible Army in Saturday’s Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes at Leopardstown. In a nine-strong field of two-year-old fillies, Kitty Rose was settled prominently over the seven and a half furlong trip by Billy Lee early on, as the favourite Content cut out the running. With two furlongs left to race, Kitty Rose was angled out for an effort and soon got past the leader, before kicking clear inside the final furlong to win by two and a half lengths in impressive style. Aidan O’Brien’s Content held on for second, half a length ahead of the Ger Lyons-trained Serious Notions in third.
Trained by Natalia Lupini in County Down, Kitty Rose won on debut as Naas two weeks ago when she comfortably beat a 16-strong field. She confirmed that promise over half a furlong further at Leopardstown yesterday and the nature of her victory suggests she is likely to be stepped up to Group company on her next start.
“She’s a big filly, very honest and when she gets into a rhythm she gallops towards the line. She gives it all,” said Lupini. “We always thought we had a nice filly on our hands. Obviously, first time out, you hope everything goes well. We were hoping for a nice run, but she won impressively at Naas and today again she was very impressive. When she picks up she just keeps galloping. She’s very, very honest. The lads were looking at the Guineas [for her] next year. She’ll be a stronger filly and she won’t have any problems over a mile.
“It’s a great achievement for everyone, for the lads working in the yard and for the owners as well. Everyone puts in so much effort so it’s great for everyone.”
From the first-crop of Invincible Army, Kitty Rose was bred by Carmel Stud in Britain she is now in the ownership of Nigel O’Hare, Gary Devlin and Kabin Racing Syndicate, she is one of four winners from as many runners out of the Choisir mare Varnish, who won twice over middle distances for Richard Hannon.
