After covering his 18th book of mares last season, Wattle Brae Stud's evergreen Easy Rocking may be in his twilight year's but the Group 1 winning half-brother to Hong Kong legend Fairy King Prawn is still firing out the stakes-winners, the latest coming with the filly Pennino in Saturday's Group III Gold Coast Guineas (1200m).
Ridden by Matthew McGillivray for trainer Darryl Hansen, Pennino, like the majority by her sire, relished the heavy conditions to tough out a length win from Defence Missile (Love Conquers All) with Million (Epaulette) a short-neck back in third. (photo Racing Queensland)
Third in the Listed Gold Edition Stakes and second in the Group III Vo Rogue Plate in December, Pennino came from a 16-week hibernation to finish a well-beaten fifth in the Listed Mick Dittman Plate on a bottomless track at Doomben on April 20.
"She's by Easy Rocking and gets through the heavy with no trouble at all, I'd be lying if I said we weren't ecstatic when the rain came," Hansen told Racing Queensland.
"She's a bit underrated this filly, she's so consistent with a Stakes win under her belt and now a Group III as a three-year-old her best is hopefully in front of her."
"I've decided to bypass the Oaks so we'll just let the dust settle and see where we go next."
"There's the Queensland Guineas to consider and I don't think she'll have any trouble with the mile.
"Her older brother Balboa Rocks has won twice over 1800 metres but there's no need to rush into anything at this stage."
Pennino advances her record to 4 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third from 13 starts with earnings of $413,750.
A full-sister to the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup winner Balboa Rocks, Pennino is the fifth named foal of the Brisbane winning Clang mare Alpha Girl who has not had a live foal since however she was one of 16 mares to visit Easy Rocking last spring.
Pennino becomes the 12th stakes-winner for Easy Rocking (Barathea) whose service fee last year was advertised as on application.
