Four-year-old filly La Cucaracha, whose form has improved tremendously this season, stepped up to Group 1 winner status on Thursday as she defeated several formidable sprinters in the Nunthorpe Stakes (Eng-G1) at York. Forced to rate midway through, La Cucaracha launched her move a quarter-mile from the wire to seize the lead inside the final furlong. She had just enough left to hold off The Tatling, runner-up in last year`s edition of the race, by a head.

With Michael Hills in the irons, La Cucaracha completed the five furlongs in :56.82 over good to firm turf. The daughter of Piccolo is owned by her breeder, Guy Read, and trained by Hills`s father, Barry.

"It`s a good feeling," Michael Hills told England`s Press Association. "Guy Read has had a lot of horses for a long time with us so it`s nice to win a Group 1 for him."

The win marked the first-ever win in the category for Read.

After making the lead, La Cucaracha had to dig in late as Group 2 winner The Tatling rallied late. The eight-year-old Perugino gelding settled for second, one length ahead of third-place finisher Majestic Missile.

This year`s King`s Stand Stakes (Eng-G2) winner, Chineur, was sent off as the 2-to-1 favorite on the strength of his four-race unbeaten streak this season, but the son of Fasliyev could not overcome a slow start and finished ninth.

"She had worked like a dream at home and ran like a dream today," Read said. "It is a dream. I backed her early at 33-to-1 and my bookmaker will be listening to me."

La Cucaracha, who is out of the Formidable mare Peggy Spencer, entered Thursday`s race off a three-quarter-length victory over males as the highweight in a handicap on July 23 at York. She has won four of six starts this season, including the Ballyogan Stakes (G3), a six-furlong race for fillies and mares on June 1 at Leopardstown, after earning her first career stakes win over The Kiddykid in a listed stakes at Doncaster on April 2. Overall, she has won six of 11 career starts.