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Late September sees one of the final fixtures at the headquarters of the flat racing game as Newmarket hosts the excellent Cambridgeshire Meeting. Kicking off on Thursday, 26th September, the three-day event is home to a host of highlights, including the Group 1 duo of the Cheveley Park Stakes and Middle Park Stakes and the titular handicap, which serves as one of the biggest betting heats of the early Autumn months.
Here, we look at one of the headline acts on Day 2 at HQ as a promising field of juvenile fillies goes to post in the Rockfel Stakes. A relatively new addition to the Newmarket programme, this 7f Group 2 affair first appeared in 1981 and is named in honour of the dual Classic winning filly of 1938.
Regularly producing fillies who go on to ply their trade at the highest level, the roll of honour includes subsequent 1000 Guineas heroines Musical Bliss, Lahan, and Speciosa, Irish 1000 Guineas winners Hula Angel and Just The Judge, and Finsceal Beo, who completed the English/Irish 1000 Guineas double in 2007.
Whether a filly of a similar standard emerges from the 2024 Rockfel field remains to be seen. Here, we look at the main contenders and interesting outsiders for what promises to be a cracking contest.
The Market Leaders
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Formal – 5/2 (widely available)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute
Sire: Dubawi
With only one Group success in his final season (courtesy of Passenger in the Huxley Stakes), the great Sir Michael Stoute appears to be leaving the scene quietly. However, there is still time to go out with a bang, and this daughter of Dubawi is the clear favourite for the Rockfel in the week leading up to the race.
As one of the leading sires of the 21st century, Dubawi needs little introduction, whilst dam, Veracious, scored three times in pattern company, including the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes in 2019.
Plenty to like on paper, and so far, Formal has delivered on her potential. Having upset an odds-on favourite from the John & Thady Gosden operation on debut at Newbury, she stepped up on that to defy a penalty in a Class 4 Novice event at Leicester last time. Impressing with her high cruising speed and change of gear, she’s already a winner on good to firm and soft and looks well worth this step up in class.
Ballet Slippers – 6/1 (widely available)
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Sire: Dubawi
Having sent out the winner in 2007, 2011, and 2018, Aidan O’Brien needs just one more victory to draw level with all-time leading trainer Barry Hills. O’Brien holds no fewer than eight entries at the time of writing, with the clear pick on form being the unbeaten Lake Victoria. However, having already scored in Group 1 company, it would be a surprise to see the Frankel filly drop down in class for this, with the Fillies Mile the likely target.
Of the others, Ballet Slippers is also in the Fillies Mile, but this race is a more suitable target at this stage of her development. By Dubawi, and out of the seven-time Group 1 winner, Magical, she boasts a stellar pedigree – even by Coolmore standards.
Making her debut in July, she has progressed with each outing to date – beaten 4½l when third first time out, she lost out by a neck next time, before making all to break her duck in an Ascot Novice event earlier in the month. She needs another step forward to take this, but, having handled soft ground well at Ascot, the forecast rain may be in her favour.
Tabiti – 6/1 (widely available)
Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Sire: Kingman
Given his prowess with fillies and mares, it is surprising to learn that Ralph Beckett has yet to win the Rockfel Stakes. That may change in 2024, with the Kingman filly Tabiti among the market leaders.
By Kingman and out of Lilyfire, who retired with only a maiden success to her name, this Juddmonte runner isn’t as regally bred as Ballet Slippers or Formal. She nevertheless boasts an eye-catching page for this test, being a half-sister to Old Flame, who scored in Group 2 company over this trip.
More significantly, she has been near flawless in two starts – pulling right away to score by 3¼l on debut at Newmarket, before demonstrating another side to her game when showing excellent guts and acceleration to grab the Group 3 Dick Poole Stakes over an inadequate 6f last time. This contest was named as the main aim in the aftermath of that contest, and she looks like a big player.
Heavens Gate – 8/1 (widely available)
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Sire: Churchill
This daughter of the 2017 dual 2000 Guineas winner lacks the pedigree appeal of those mentioned above but brings experience and solid form to the table. Third in the Group 3 Albany Stakes and Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes, her only real disappointment came in a slightly underwhelming display in the Lowther Stakes last time. However, she has often suggested that the 6f trip of those contests was on the short side, and she may find more stepping up to 7f.
Outsiders Worth a Second Look
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Ecstatic – 16/1 (widely available)
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Sire: Lord Kanaloa
Coolmore cast their net wide for suitable sires to pair with their squadron of Galileo mares, with this good-looking bay being a case in point. The name Lord Kanaloa may be unfamiliar to UK racing fans, but this stallion lit up the Far East tracks during his racing career – winning six times at the highest level over trips ranging from 6f to 1m. Ecstatic’s dam Magic Wand wasn’t too bad either, with four wins at Listed level or above, including the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes.
Three starts into her career, Ecstatic remains in the “could be anything” category. In common with many from her yard, she looked in need of the run when third on debut but stepped up on that to land a Tipperary Maiden with the minimum of fuss. Stepped into Group 2 company next time for the May Hill Stakes, she lost all chance early when failing to settle, having stumbled leaving the stalls. It seems safe to draw a line through that, and she rates an intriguing each-way proposition here.
Exactly – 20/1 (widely available)
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Sire: Frankel
Using Group winning sprinters to inject speed into a pedigree was a successful strategy with Galileo, and Coolmore are following a similar tack with his greatest son, Frankel. Exactly’s dam Heartache scored twice in Group 2 company over 5f but has already produced a pattern class miler in Salt Lake City (by Galileo).
Salt Lake City took until his third outing to show any form, and, whilst she won at the second time of asking, it’s fair to say Exactly remains a work in progress after five starts. Second in Group 2 and 3 company in July and August, she posted a career-best to finish third in the Group 2 Moyglare Stud Stakes last time, despite carrying her head awkwardly in the straight. Looking like the sort to improve with racing, she won’t need to step forward much to go close here.
Bountiful – 33/1 (widely available)
Trainer: George Boughey
Sire: Zoustar
George Boughey’s emergence as a trainer of the highest calibre has continued in 2024, with the yard recording five successes at Listed level or above. His representative, Bountiful, is among the outsiders here but is not without hope.
Having disappointed on debut at Newmarket, she soon left that behind with wins over 5f at Thirsk and 6f at Carlisle. Plunged into the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes last time, she ran a cracker to go down by just 1½l in fourth. That’s up there with the strongest form on offer here, and, but for drifting across the track and racing away from the main action, she may well have finished closer. There is reason to believe she may be seen to better effect over this 7f trip – sire Zoustar scored in Group 1 company over this distance, whilst dam Rich Legacy won at Group 2 level over 1m.
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
