Fitzella

That Ascot win on 26 July 2025 is the centrepiece of her career so far, and the story of how it happened tells you a lot about her. Palmer had instructed jockey Oisin Murphy to hold her up and wait — to use her finishing speed late in the race. Fitzella had other ideas. She flew out of the gates and put herself bang up front, the exact opposite of what was planned. Murphy adapted on the spot, managed not to push her too hard, and the result was a Class 1 victory. As Palmer put it afterwards, it worked very nicely. When a horse can win the best races in Britain while essentially overruling her rider, that is a sign of something real.

Her record in those top-level races is genuinely striking: 1 win from 3 attempts, a 33% win rate, which is the kind of number most horses never get close to at that level. Her first career win came at Haydock Park in May 2025, and she has also shown she belongs on the big stages in Europe — a run at Deauville left Palmer reflecting that had circumstances been slightly different, she would have won a Group 2 race in what he called "devastatingly impressive fashion" and gone into winter as a leading favourite for the 1,000 Guineas. That race did not quite fall her way, but finishing second to a remarkable rival is no embarrassment.

Palmer's yard has sent out 67 winners this season, so this is not a small operation riding its luck. Fitzella sits near the top of what they have produced. She raced just one day ago, so whatever comes next is close. Palmer has hinted at a 1,000 Guineas entry for next season, though he has also said her ideal distance as a three-year-old is still an open question. That uncertainty, for a horse who has already won at the highest level, is actually exciting — it means the best of Fitzella may still be ahead.