News - FASTNET ROCK (AUS)
Group I Australian mares Nechita and Mossfun have produced winners in the Northern Hemisphere in recent weeks and we can add 2014 Group I MRC Thousand Guineas winner Amicus to the list after her three year-old Galileo colt Okita Soushi won on debut in Ireland at the end of last week.
Winner of the Group I VRC Oaks last spring, the Lindsay Park trained and Coolmore owned Fastnet Rock filly Personal will do her future racing in North America.
Expensive Fastnet Rock colt Setanta may never be as good as his famous Royal Ascot conquering full brother Merchant Navy, but he is now a stakes-winner after scoring a determined win in the $200,000 Listed BRC Queensland Day Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The $500,000 Magic Millions National Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday did not carry Black Type, but it was the richest race on the program outside of the Queensland Oaks and the winner Nudge will head next to the Group I Tattersalls Tiara on June 26.
The difference between the price a horse makes as a yearling and then 12 months on when he’s found to be a limited racehorse was highlighted by an interesting winner at Port Macquarie on Monday.
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, Fastnet Rock mare Nudge stepped into centre stage at Doomben on Saturday to win her first Black Type racing taking out the Group III BRC Pam O’Neill Stakes (1600m) with a dominant display.
Co-bred and sold by Yarraman Park, Éclair Sunrise became the latest two year-old winner for champion sire Fastnet Rock when winning easily at Ballarat on Wednesday bringing timely pedigree updates for her half-brother and dam, who will sell at the Gold Coast in coming weeks.
Champion sire Fastnet Rock has had a very successful season with his two year-olds and posted another eye-catching debut winner at Wyong on Thursday.
Despite winning at Caulfield two starts ago, Irish bred stayer Inverloch (IRE) was seen as long shot in the Listed Wagga Wagga Cup (2000m) on Friday, but led all the way for Matthew Cahill to score a tenacious win.
Bred on the magic Fastnet Rock x Galileo cross, lightly raced three year- old colt Fenelon scored his first Black Type success at Longchamp overnight when taking out the Listed Prix de l’Avre (1m4f)).
Six heats for juveniles at the Rosehill barrier trials on Tuesday morning produced some interesting winners including a Fastnet Rock colt that looks an obvious contender for the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
A full brother to triple Group I winner Shoals, Fastnet Rock colt Groundswell was in hot demand at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale when he topped it making $2.3million and three years on the now four year-old gelding is a stakes-winner.
Despite being delayed a week, the Gr.1 Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) lived up to its billing as one of the races of the season, as plucky mare Avantage made it Group One win number nine with a thrilling victory.
A lot can change in a week and the misfortune of the races being abandoned mid program at Te Aroha has resulted in leading jockey Danielle Johnson picking up the plumb ride on champion Fastnet Rock mare Avantage in Saturday’s rescheduled Gr.1 Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa.
The famed Fastnet Rock x Galileo cross has produced numerous Group I winners in Europe and Australasia, but we may one day add North America to that list after Star Devine made such an impressive debut at Aqueduct that she earned TDN Rising Star status.
Champion sire Fastnet Rock has never been in better form and provided the first seven figure filly at Inglis Easter this year when his gorgeous filly from Rostova made $1.1million for Coolmore Stud.
Fastnet Rock has been a stalwart at the top of the yearling sales list because he delivers on the racetrack year in and year out, so let’s look at a gallery of his top class performers as they were as yearlings and see if it’s any help with the 15 yearlings set to be offered at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale next week.
Leading northern rider Leith Innes produced a front-running masterclass at Tauranga on Saturday as he guided gritty galloper Packing Rockstar to his first stakes victory in the Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m).
Exciting three-year-old Rocket Spade provided his connections with the perfect dress rehearsal for his Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) challenge next month when he gave his age-group rivals a start and a beating over 1600m at Tauranga on Saturday.
Champion sire Fastnet Rock is having a great run with his juveniles posting his sixth Australian 2YO winner this season at Randwick on Wednesday when good looking colt Coastwatch opened his account bringing a timely update for his half-brother to be offered at Inglis Easter.