Impressive Debut for Fastnet Rock Colt

A three-quarter brother to Champion NZ Sprinter and dual Group I winner Sacred Star, Fastnet Rock colt Return with Honour made a winning debut at Randwick on Boxing Day, but connections will resist the temptation of a crack at the Magic Millions 2YO Classic for which he would be eligible.

Trained by Gerald Ryan for Golden East Horse, Return to Honour looked good in a recent six length barrier trial win at Hawkesbury and followed up on that good performance with a pain free debut victory.

He jumped well for Glyn Schofield and took up the lead before kicking away on the turn and holding on to win by three-quarters of a length.

“He’s a lovely horse with a lot under the hood that I didn’t have to ask for,” said Schofield.

“That was a hands and heels ride.”

A $520,000 Magic Millions purchase for Blandford Bloodstock from the Rosemont Stud draft, Return with Honour collected nearly $40,000 for his win, but trainer Gerald Ryan is thinking he has bigger fish to fry than the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

“We just ran out of time for the Magic Millions and the Golden Slipper leads up start in February, so we’ll be going that way with him,” said Ryan.

“He’s a very laid back horse, typical of the Fastnet Rocks.”

Bred by Rosemont Stud, Return with Honour is the fifth winner from good producer Irish Nova and is closely related to this season’s juvenile stakes-winner Unition, who is also by Fastnet Rock from the same female family being from Group I winner Diademe.

Irish Nova was sent to New Zealand in 2018 and produced a filly this year by champion sire Savabeel, who has worked well with this family to produce Group I winners Diademe and Embellish.