'We could have easily put her in the Guineas' - Oisin Murphy booked for Australian-trained filly with Royal Ascot handicap aim

Joint-trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent jnr have secured one of the world’s best riders for their Royal Ascot debut in two weeks with the booking of three-time British champion Oisin Murphy for new recruit Kitty Rose.

The three-year-old filly is to run for the trainers for the first time in the Sandringham Stakes on the Friday card at Royal Ascot after she was purchased by a group of Australian owners headed by Tim Porter late last year following three runs in Ireland.

She will wear Porter’s racing colours of royal blue, lime, red and orange that are so often seen in Australian feature sprints by top-level regular Bella Nipotina.

Kent jnr explained that while the Sandringham will be a tough race to win given a likely big field, Kitty Rose could easily have been targeted at a Classic this spring given the class she showed when trained by Natalia Lupini.

“We could have easily put her in the Irish or English Guineas, but we had the mindset that we really wanted to win a race at Ascot, that was the goal, so we’ll go there,” he said.

“It’s great to get a rider of Oisin’s calibre as the Sandringham is often a race where you need a good ride and a bit of luck to go your way.

“He's an outstanding rider who knows her form well and he’ll have a sit on her at Newmarket before she runs.”

Kent Jnr said Kitty Rose is scheduled to head to Australia following her run at the royal meeting.

“Her ultimate aim in Australia will be the Golden Eagle as she has a beautiful mix of speed and stamina and can race close to the pace.”

Kitty Rose won two of her three starts as a juvenile, including when beating Content in a Listed race at Leopardstown on her second start, and returned this season with a head second in a Group 3 at the same track on her final start for Lupini.

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