Group Double for Fastnet Rock

Tara Madgwick - Saturday Sep 1
A brilliant winner of the Group I ATC Australian Oaks in the autumn, exciting Fastnet Rock mare Unforgotten was a well backed favourite in the Group II ATC Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick on Saturday and showed her class with a powerful win in the weight-for-age test over 1600m.

Unforgotten wins the ChelmsfordA fast closing sixth in the Group I ATC Winx Stakes when resuming from a spell last month, the Chris Waller trained Unforgotten (image Steve Hart) was held up for a run at the top of the straight, but when angled into the clear by Hugh Bowman quickly asserted her superiority.

She hit top gear and shot clear to score a dominant length and a half win over last year's Victoria Derby winner Ace High indicating she will be a force in whatever races are selected for her this spring.

"She's pretty smart and put the writing on the wall when she won the Oaks," said Hugh Bowman.

"I wouldn't imagine she'd be beating Winx anytime soon, but there are plenty of nice races for her. Chris has lots of options to choose from."

A $360,000 NZB Premier Yearling Sale purchase from the Curraghmore Stud draft for Chris Waller Racing, Unforgotten has won six of 11 starts earning over $1.2 million in prizemoney for her big team of Waller stable clients.

"She's very special," said Waller.

"If we didn't have Winx, I'd be looking at the Epsom and Cox Plate, but she won't be taking her on. The Caulfield Cup might be the race, we'll just have to see where she fits in."

Fastnet RockFoaled and raised at Coolmore, Unforgotten is a sister to stakes-placed Special Memories and is the third winner from Memories of You (IRE), a half-sister to dual Group I winner Matiara from an impressive European Black Type family.

Memories of You has a yearling colt by brilliant Group I winner No Nay Never (USA) and was covered last year by Champion 2YO Air Force Blue (USA).

Unforgotten made it a back to back Group race double for Coolmore's champion sire Fastnet Rock, who also sired Comin' Through to win the Group II ATC Tramway Stakes. Read about him here.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Inglis Digital Purchase Iron Hawk to Tackle G3 TAB Mile
Harness racing trainer Barry Purdon bought Iron Hawk last year with New Zealand Cup Week in mind, and now the moment has arrived, with the stakes performer set to tackle the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) at Riccarton on Wednesday.
Unraced First Season Sires Trial Report
It’s been a pretty steady start to spring in terms of 2YO races and we are still waiting to see a first season sire post a winner, but there has been action aplenty at the trials which would indicate the pre-Christmas period is set to ignite.
One to Watch – Mornington
A homebred for Seymour Bloodstock with an intriguing pedigree opened her account with a stylish win at Mornington on Tuesday.
Frankel Heads Juddmonte Euro Roster at £350,000
Fresh from siring outstanding young stayer Point of Law (GB) to win the $10m Group I VRC Melbourne Cup, champion sire Frankel will again top the roster at Banstead Manor Stud for Juddmonte.
Remembering Sunline – The Queen of the Cox Plate Before Winx
From our vantage point in 2026, we can look back at modern Cox Plate history and marvel at how quickly the years are passing.
Racing Industry Mourns Much Loved Izzy Neale
The thoroughbred racing industry is devastated tonight following news that apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, aged 22, has tragically died as the result of a race fall at Warren on Sunday.
G1 Aussie Pedigree Watch –Newly Minted
Pedigree does matter if you want to be winning races longer than 1200m, although in an interesting twist a colt bred on face value for speed is in fact from the family of Zabeel.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 10
Here is the full list of 16 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Godolphin Make Their Move
The first two days at Magic Millions were without a Godolphin purchase, but they moved swiftly in the first hour of trade on Friday to secure two fillies by Fastnet Rock and Snitzel for $600,000 each.
$1million Fastnet Rock Colt Chasing Karaka Million 3YO
Victorian trainer David Hayes will be in New Zealand later this week as he puts the finishing touches on three-year-old colt Conqueror ahead of Saturday’s $1 million Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m).