Bonny filly Catkins could head for a Group One sprint against older horses after scoring a breakthrough stakes win at Rosehill on Saturday.

A filly by Dubawi, Catkins notched win five at start eight in the listed Fireball Handicap – importantly for connections a first start success.

Sent out at $10 with bookies, Catkins was able to reel in the fancied runner Golden Sunshine ($3.90) in the straight and then dash away to win by an increasing one length margin. The rest of the field was a further three lengths back headed by Villa Splendido.

Record breaking trainer Chris Waller was impressed with Catkins’ victory and suggested her preparation ahead could mean a run against some of the country’s best sprinters.

“She showed plenty of fight out there today,” Waller told reporters. “She has come back in good order and is a strong horse.”

“She is still green, putting her head to the side and does a few little things wrong, but over the last 100 metres she got stuck in and it was good to see her get the better of the other horse.”

Waller said the filly could either run next in the PJ Bell Stakes or even the Group One Galaxy.

“She has always shown plenty of ability and she is in for a decent preparation,” winning rider Corey Brown said.

Catkins was purchased from the Amarina Farm draft at the 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by the Ingham family for $85,000. As it stands now, from just eight runs, she’s earned about $240,000.

By Dubai Millennium’s Irish Two Thousand Guineas winning son Dubawi, Catkins is from the lightly raced Catbird mare Salix Caprea.

A non-winner from just two runs, Salix Caprea is doing the job at stud with her two runners to date already both current multiple winners.

Salix Caprea is a half sister to the former quality Adelaide galloper Rally – a winner of 10 races and over $270,000 with a win in the listed Classic Mile a feature performance among nine stakes placings.

Catkins is the 49th individual stakes winner for Dubawi who’s other stars include Group One winners Makfi, Dubawi Heights, Happy Archer and Secret Admirer.

Winner: Catkins
Breeding: Dubawi-Salix Caprea
Race: ATC Fireball Handicap LR (1100m)
Sold for: $85,000
Sale: 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Amarina Farm
Buyer: Ingham Racing
Earnings: $239,560
Owner(s): Ingham Racing Syndicate (Mgr: RW Ingham)
Trainer: Chris Waller (Rosehill)