The Rockfel Stakes is a

Group 2 The term Group 2 may refer to: * Alkaline earth metal, a chemical element classification * Astronaut Group 2, also known as The New Nine, the second group of astronauts selected by NASA in 1962 * Group 2 (racing), an FIA classification for cars in a ...

flat Flat or flats may refer to: Architecture * Flat (housing), an apartment in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and other Commonwealth countries Arts and entertainment * Flat (music), a symbol () which denotes a lower pitch * Flat (soldier), ...

horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.

History

The event is named after

Rockfel Rockfel (1935 – November 1941) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare, best known for winning two British Classic Races, Classics in 1938. In a career which lasted from July 1937 until May 1939 she ran thirteen times and won eight ...

, a successful filly whose victories included two

Classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

in 1938. It was established in 1981, and its first winner was Top Hope. The Rockfel Stakes attained Listed status in 1985, and it was promoted to Group 3 level in 1986. It was upgraded to Group 2 in 1998. The race was formerly staged during Newmarket's Champions' Day meeting in mid-October. It became part of a new fixture called Future Champions Day in 2011 and was moved to a September date from 2014, switching places in the calendar with the Fillies' Mile. The race is currently part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge and the winner earns an automatic place in the

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf is a one-mile turf stakes race for thoroughbred fillies two years old. As its name implies, it is part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the ''de facto'' year-end championship for North American thoro ...

race. The leading horses from the Rockfel Stakes sometimes go on to compete in the following season's

1000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...

. Four fillies have won both events, the most recent being

Finsceal Beo Finsceal Beo (Gaelic for "living legend") (foaled 19 February 2004 in Ireland) is a European champion thoroughbred racehorse. She is one of only two horses ever to win both the Irish 1,000 Guineas and the English 1,000 Guineas. She missed her c ...

(2006–07).

Records

Leading

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

(4 wins): * Michael Hills – ''Negligent (1989), Hula Angel (1998), Maids Causeway (2004),

Just The Judge Just The Judge (19 April 2010 – April 2019) was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won major races in both Europe and North America. She was unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old in 2012 including ...

(2012)'' * Frankie Dettori - ''Crystal Gazing (1990), Moonlight Paradise (1996), Spain Burg (2016), Juliet Capulet (2017)'' Leading trainer (4 wins): * Barry Hills – ''Negligent (1989), Yawl (1992), Hula Angel (1998), Maids Causeway (2004)''

Winners

References

* Paris-Turf: **, , *

Racing Post ''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting publisher which is published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of 6 ...

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galopp-sieger.de
– ''Rockfel Stakes.''
ifhaonline.org
– ''International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Rockfel Stakes (2019).''
pedigreequery.com
– ''Rockfel Stakes – Newmarket.'' * {{Race Meeting, Cambridgeshire Meeting, Turf Flat races in Great Britain Newmarket Racecourse Flat horse races for two-year-old fillies Recurring sporting events established in 1981 Breeders' Cup Challenge series 1981 establishments in England

History

Records

Winners

See also

References