Unbeaten Fastnet Filly Wins Diamond Prelude

Brilliant filly Catchy (2f Fastnet Rock x Cats Whisker, by Fusaichi Pegasus) kept her unbeaten record intact when scoring another impressive victory at Caulfield on Saturday in the Group II MRC Blue Diamond Prelude. Prepared by the Hayes/Dabernig training partnership, the daughter of Fastnet Rock was an eye-catching debut winner at Moonee Valley on December 9 and then defeated quality gelding Property to win at Caulfield on January 7. Partnered again by Craig Williams as she was in her first two runs, Catchy was eased back at the start from her wide gate and surged home out wide under strong riding to narrowly win over Limestone, who won the Group III MRC Blue Diamond Preview at her previous start. Property subsequently came out to win the colts and geldings division of the Group II MRC Blue Diamond Prelude confirming the strength of the form and was also ridden by Williams, who has a number of options for the Blue Diamond. "Today we rode her back with the winkers for the first time and she savaged the line," said Tom Dabernig, who trains Catchy in partnership with David and Ben Hayes. "Take nothing away from Limestone, I thought it was an excellent effort and she has got a very good turn of foot, but I think our filly is exceptionally good. "I'd be intrigued to see what Craig wants to do but he'd be mad to be jumping off her." A $220,000 Inglis Australian Easter purchase from the Coolmore draft for Robert Crabtree's Dorrington Farm, Catchy now heads to the Group I $1 million MRC Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) on February 25. Foaled and raised at Coolmore for her breeder Joy Jenkins, Catchy is the 107th stakes-winner for Fastnet Rock and is the fourth winner from four foals to race from Group II winner Cats Whisker, a daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus. Coolmore sold the full sister to Catchy at Magic Millions last month for $700,000 to Alan Bell Racing and Cats Whisker produced another colt by Fastnet Rock in 2016. She was covered last year for the first time by a stallion other than Fastnet Rock visiting Golden Slipper winner Pierro.