From tragedy to triumph as Betfair founder Black's miracle foal scores on debut

This article was originally published on May 26

When Arthur Kitt, the third and final foal out of Queen Mary Stakes winner Ceiling Kitty, strode clear of his eight rivals in a six-furlong novice stakes at Haydock on Friday he recorded the kind of victory that goes far beyond winning distances and prize-money.

It was while foaling the colt on a February night back in 2016 that Ceiling Kitty suffered a serious complication that saw her life cut tragically short, a loss that remains raw for her owner-breeder, Betfair founder and Chasemore Farm proprietor Andrew Black.

And having only narrowly survived the ordeal himself, Arthur Kitt has already had to show more resolve than any racecourse test will ever demand."It was the most dramatic night we've ever had at the farm," says Black. "The foal had to be resuscitated six times. It was an unspeakably horrible night but we emerged with this living foal at the end of it. It was very emotional for me because Kitty was always my number one mare."

It is little wonder that 'Kitty' was held in such high affection by Black, who bred the Royal Ascot winner himself out of a mare, Baldovina, he claimed for just £17,000 after she finished third of five in a Class 6 claimer at Lingfield in 2007.

"To lose such a treasured animal but then emerge with this little foal, it was almost like a phoenix from the flames," says Black before pausing for thought. "I've got a lot of emotion invested in this horse. I was never going to sell him because there are certain animals that you just can't look at in a financial way."

Indeed, it was a little blue-sky thinking that led to Black sending his cherished Ceiling Kitty to Camelot in the first place, with the Classic-winning son of Montjeu not an obvious candidate to click with a precocious daughter of Red Clubs. Ceiling Kitty's first two foals, Eartha Kitt and Formidable Kitt, were the result of matings with the sprinters Pivotal and Invincible Spirit respectively.

"I've spent a lot of time looking at Camelot," he says. "I think he's an unusual horse, he's very athletic but has very long legs. There's something about Camelot's head and his physique that I saw in Ceiling Kitty.

Watch the full replay of Arthur Kitt's impressive debut win

"I always try to mate like with like and she looked like a compact version of Camelot. And when it came to sending a speedy mare to Camelot, Coolmore have done that to very good effect with Galileo and he's got a very good record with speedy and precocious mares. So I thought, let's try the same with Camelot.

"It was quite an unusual cover and a bit of an experiment, but I thought there was enough physical similarity between the two of them to give it a punt. It was a gut feeling and wasn't based on any science."

Camelot on parade at CoolmoreCredit: Caroline Norris

But breeding is so often an art and not a science. And on the evidence of Arthur Kitt's runaway debut win, Black may just have created a masterpiece when sending Ceiling Kitty to Camelot.

"I've always loved him but we weren't sure what to expect on his first day on the track," says Black of the Tom Dascombe-trained colt. "Tom's view was that he'll improve significantly for the run so I didn't know if he'd go and win, but obviously we're thrilled that he did."

When a two-year-old wins in such fine style at this time of year thoughts inevitably turn to Royal Ascot. But an unusually bullish Black concedes that the royal meeting, the Chesham Stakes in particular, had been on his mind long before Arthur Kitt's debut.

"I thought of the Chesham Stakes about a year ago," he says. "Tom has been doing fast work with this horse virtually since February. What we're seeing with Camelot's progeny is that they need time. But having watched this horse growing up, he's a bit more compact than your average Camelot. He's made for the Chesham and, obviously, he's bred for it – I just hope we can get there."

Arthur Kitt clears away from his rivals for an impressive debut successCredit: John Grossick

Arthur Kitt is not the only member of Ceiling Kitty's brood who can keep the Queen Mary Stakes winner's name in lights, as her first foal Eartha Kitt has retired to the paddocks at Chasemore Farm and has been covered by Frankel.

"I think Eartha Kitt could be the best broodmare I've ever owned," says Black. "She has all the qualities of a really good broodmare. Pivotal is a fantastic broodmare sire and her mother is by a broodmare sire with a tremendous record too.

"I wouldn't often send a horse to Frankel – it's an enormous investment and a huge risk, so you stand to lose an awful lot of money if things don't work out. But I've taken a chance with Eartha Kitt and I feel very confident that I'll get a nice animal out of that."

An awful tragedy may have befallen Ceiling Kitty, but the early evidence suggests that her offspring will prove to be a fitting tribute.

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