Andrew Caulfield, October 23, 2007–Kitty Matcham (Ire) P EDIGREE INSIGHTS The stallion didn't have long to wait for compensation for this narrow defeat as his daughter BY ANDREW CAULFIELD Kitty Matcham--a May 21 foal--put up easily her best effort in winning the G2 Rockfel S. Earlier in the day, down in Australia, Rock of Gibraltar had enjoyed Saturday, Newmarket, Britain another Group success when Pillar of Hercules landed a ROCKFEL S.-G2, 70,000, Newmarket, 10-20, 2yo, f, , Group 3 at Caulfield. 7fT, 1:27.01, gd/sf. Then, to top off a great weekend, the G3 Prix de 1--#@KITTY MATCHAM (IRE), 124, f, 2, by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire) Conde was won in determined fashion by High Rock, 1st Dam: Imagine (Ire) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-GB at 11- with trainer Jean-Claude Rouget saying that the Prix du 14f, G1SW-GB & Ire, $528,980), by Sadler’s Wells 2nd Dam: Doff the Derby, by Master Derby Jockey-Club could be an option for his Rock of Gibraltar 3rd Dam: Margarethen, by Tulyar (Ire) colt in 2008. O-Diane Nagle & Susan Magnier; B-Barronstown Stud One telling comment made by Aidan O'Brien after & Tower Bloodstock; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Johnny Kitty Matcham's Group 2 success was: Murtagh; ,39,746. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-0, "She's tough and she travels andYwith these Rock of ,49,873. *3/4 to Horatio Nelson (Danehill), G1SW- Gibraltars, the more you throw at them, the better they Fr, GSW & G1SP-GB, GSW-Ire, $488,659; and full to get." Red Rock Canyon (Ire), G1SP-Ire, $191,676. For the record, Eagle Mountain was running for the Click for the Racing Post chart or the free brisnet.com seventh time this year, and for the 11th time in all; catalogue-style pedigree. Kitty Matcham, despite her late birthday, has already raced five times; Yellowstone, who is much more The people at Coolmore with the task of setting next talented than the average Group 3 winner, has raced 10 year's stallion fees must be busily recalculating after times this year; and Theann, another Group 3 winner the magnificent recent efforts of Rock of Gibraltar's from The Rock's first crop, has raced 12 times in all. progeny, especially his two-year-olds. Even Kitty Matcham's frustrating Red Rock Canyon, Last Friday's Newmarket card started off with the who must rank as the best maiden in training, recently debutant General Eliott turning in a dominant display in put up his best effort to be third in the G1 Irish a mile maiden and it was a similar story three races Champion S. on his 11th career start. later when Kandahar Run earned J “TDN Rising But then you would expect toughness to be one of Star” J status with his clear-cut victory in the the main virtues of Rock of Gibraltar's offspring. In Houghton S. The Derby was mentioned as a possible much the same way that Dylan Thomas, another of future target for Kandahar Run. Danehill's best sons, has danced every dance at this Newmarket's Saturday meeting showed Rock of year's Group 1 middle-distance ball, Rock of Gibraltar Gibraltar in a similarly favourable light. One of the rarely missed an opportunity in Europe's best mile feature events, the G1 Champion S., saw Eagle races. After a winning debut in a five-furlong maiden in Mountain put up a career-best effort in finishing a the April of his first season, he raced exclusively in short-head second to Literato, three lengths clear of the Group contests and his last eight starts were all against GI Man o' War S. winner Doctor Dino. Group 1 opposition. www.coolmore.com To his enormous credit, he won the first seven of the KITTY MATCHAM (IRE), f, 2005 eight, his solitary setback coming when a high draw Northern Dancer Danzig counted against him in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Pas de Nom Danehill Arlington. Even so, he managed to come through from His Majesty Razyana 13th place to finish second to Domedriver. Rock of Gibraltar Spring Adieu The way Rock of Gibraltar thrived on such a (Ire) Northern Dancer Be My Guest demanding schedule might have conjured up visions of What a Treat Offshore Boom (Ire) a champion with a physique worthy of Secretariat. The Bold Lad (Ire) Push a Button (Ire) reality was somewhat different. Although Danehill was River Lady perfectly capable of siring big, imposing sons, Rock of Nearctic Northern Dancer Gibraltar isn't one of them. Timeform described him as Natalma Sadler’s Wells a close-coupled, medium-sized individual and I wouldn't Imagine (Ire) Bold Reason Fairy Bridge disagree. Although he apparently measures 16 hands, 10-4-2-2, Special $527,013 his short-coupled body makes him look smaller. Dust Commander 4Fls, 2GSW, Doff the Derby Master Derby With this in mind, it comes as no surprise to see the 1GSP unraced Madam Jerry names of some big, rangy stallions among the 12Fls, 1Ch, 3GSW Margarethen Tulyar broodmares sires of his good winners. The promising 3SW 8Fls, 1Ch, 1GSW Russ-Marie General Eliott is out of a daughter of the 16.3-hands Selkirk, who also sired the dam of Rock of Gibraltar's Two of his recent two-year-old group winners first Group 1 winner, Mount Nelson. Pillar of Hercules illustrate growing trends in the European industry. Kitty has a dam by Brocco, who stood nearly 17 hands, Matcham is out of Sadler's Wells's dual classic winner while Yellowstone's broodmare sire is the 16.2-hands Imagine and her Rockfel S. win means that Rock of Exclusive Era. That said, there are also plenty of Gibraltar is the fourth son of Danehill to sire a group medium-sized stallions among the broodmare sires, so winner from a daughter of Sadler's Wells. Peeping size may not be an issue. Fawn, one of the stars of the European season, is by It is going to be fascinating to see what price is Danehill out of another Sadler's Wells mare. placed on Rock of Gibraltar's 2008 services. His fee in And Unilateral, winner of the G3 Firth of Clyde S. in his first season was listed as private, but it was September, is out of a Sharpen Up mare. Rock of published as i65,000 in his second season in 2004, Gibraltar also has a Group 3 winner out of a Kris mare only to be reduced to i55,000 in 2005 and then to and a Group 1 winner out of a Selkirk mare. At least i45,000 in 2006. That last reduction was possibly a seven of Danehill's sons now have group winners out reaction to the fact that his first yearlings had achieved of grand-daughters of Sharpen Up, which links to a median of $114,220, which was probably not a huge Danehill's achievement of siring Group 1 winners from amount more than his initial fee. daughters of Diesis, Kris and Selkirk. The doubts about Rock of Gibraltar continued to grow when his first two-year-olds failed to create much excitement in the summer of 2006 and an announcement was made in October last year that he had been leased to stand the 2007 season in Japan. Hardly had the announcement been made than the stallion came up with his first Group 1 winner, when Mount Nelson won the Criterium International, with another Rock of Gibraltar colt, Yellowstone, in third. Fortunately Rock of Gibraltar's stallion career has continued to turn the corner. There are now 10 stakes winners from his first crop (which numbered 117 foals) and his second crop has already produced five stakes winners, including the group scorers Unilateral, High Rock and Kitty Matcham. This, combined with a yearling crop which has achieved such good prices as 900,000, 500,000 and 380,000 guineas, should ensure plenty of interest in Rock of Gibraltar when he returns to Ireland. .