Rumplestiltskin (horse)

Rumplestiltskin's first race was a maiden at Naas in May, for which she started the odds-on favourite. She tracked the leaders before finishing strongly to lead near the finish and win by half a length from Always A Star.[4] Three weeks later at the same venue she was stepped up to Listed class and won the Swordlestown Stud Sprint Stakes by a length and a half. In this race she was ridden for the first time by Kieren Fallon, who partnered her in all her subsequent starts.[5] O'Brien expressed his satisfaction that the filly had won despite her obvious lack of experience and his belief that she would make further progress.[6]

In 2005 Ascot was closed for renovations and the Royal meeting was moved to York. Rumplestiltskin was sent there for the Albany Stakes, her first race at Group Three level. She tracked the leaders but could make no progress in the closing stages and finished third, four and a half lengths behind the comfortable winner La Chunga. Despite her defeat, Rumplestiltskin was then moved up to Group Two level for the Debutante Stakes at the Curragh. Fallon settled the filly in fourth before moving her up to challenge in the final quarter of a mile. Rumplestiltskin quickened to settle the race "in a matter of strides"[7] and went clear to win "easily" by two lengths.[8]

A month later she returned to the Curragh for the Moyglare Stud Stakes, Ireland's only Group One race for two-year-old fillies, for which was made favourite at odds of 2/7. She broke slowly and was held up at the back of the field before being brought through by Fallon to lead a furlong out. She did not go clear, however and had to be driven out to win by a neck from Ugo Fire.[9] After the race O'Brien was reported to have explained that the filly tended to pull up when she hit the front and that "she only just does enough."[10] Fallon meanwhile claimed that the filly had been badly hampered and almost brought down in the early stages. The bookmakers were left undecided by her performance, offering odds of between 8/1 and 16/1 for the 1,000 Guineas.[11]

On her final start she was sent to Longchamp for the Prix Marcel Boussac. She was made favourite ahead of Prix du Calvados winner Confidential Lady, and Sirene Doloise, the winner of the Prix d'Aumale. Fallon settled the filly in the early stages but found himself boxed in and unable to find a clear run when he tried to make a challenge in the straight. Rumplestilstkin was switched to the outside and quickened well to take the lead inside the final furlong and record a "narrow but decisive" victory.[12] After the race the bookmakers cut her odds for the Guineas to 3/1.[13] O'Brien praised Fallon for extricating the winner from a difficult position and called Rumplestiltskin "a very special filly".[14]

As a three-year-old, Rumplestiltskin was sent straight for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket without a prep race, and started 3/1 favourite. This was despite speculation that she would miss the race in favour of the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. After being hampered at the start she was never able to get into contention and finished seventh of the thirteen runners behind Speciosa.[15] Fallon felt that the filly had been unsuited by the soft ground.[16]

After the race O'Brien revealed that Rumplestiltskin had suffered an injury to "a ligament close to her pelvis" and would be unable to race for several weeks.[17] She never ran again and her retirement was confirmed in October.[18]