#31 FASTNET ROCK FILLY SHOALS WINS GROUP 1 MYER CLASSIC
Shoals is one of Australia’s best bred fillies (3f Fastnet Rock x The Broken Shore, by Hussonet) and she raised the bar in impressive style at Flemington on Saturday to beat the older mares and win the Group 1 VRC Myer Classic.
Shoals finished second in the Group 1 MRC Thousand Guineas at her previous start to Aloisia and was well fancied to give the older mares a run for their money.
Shoals was ridden forward from gate 10 by Dean Yendall, who won the race last year on three-year-old filly I Am a Star.
He was able to repeat his performance, driving the filly to the front after turning for home and holding off all challengers to win the 1600 metre feature by a short half head over I Am Invincible mare Eckstein.
“She began well and travelled sweetly,” Yendall said.
“I pushed the button a bit early, but I knew I had a 7kg pull in the weights. It was a massive effort.”
Shoals has the impressive record of five wins and two seconds from seven starts with prizemoney topping $1million.
“We got confident when Aloisia won last Saturday,” revealed trainer Anthony Freedman.
“We decided to keep something up our sleeve for this race. She was incredibly tough today. There’s no reason she can’t win a few more Group One’s.”
Shoals was retained to race by her breeders Arrowfield Stud and Jonathan Munz (in whose colours she runs) and is the first foal of The Broken Shore, who was bought for $1.9 million at the Magic Millions Teeley Assets Dispersal in 2014.
A metropolitan winner by Hussonet, The Broken Shore is a half-sister to Group 1 winners Redoute’s Choice, Manhattan Rain and Platinum Scissors as well as Group 3 winner Sliding Cube and stakes-winner Echoes of Heaven.
The Broken Shore has been to Fastnet Rock in three seasons running and her current two-year-old filly, a full sister to Shoals, is called Tides and will also be trained by Anthony Freedman.
The 31st Group 1 winner for Fastnet Rock, Shoals brought up a Group 1 double for her champion sire, who also tasted success at in the $1million VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes with exciting colt Merchant Navy.
#30 FASTNET ROCK COLT MERCHANT NAVY WINS COOLMORE STUD STAKES
It only seemed fitting that a royally bred colt by champion sire Fastnet Rock should win the $1million Group 1 VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
Unbeaten in winning his first four starts,
Merchant Navy (3c Fastnet Rock x Legally Bay, by Snippets) was sent to Sydney earlier in the spring for the Group 1 ATC Golden Rose, but endured a troubled run to finish tenth to Trapeze Artist.
Connections regrouped and trainer Aaron Purcell established a new plan for Group 1 success.
“We had a lot of discussion after the Golden Rose as to whether to go for the Guineas or Coolmore, which was ultimately thought to be the better option,” said Aaron Purcell, whose decision proved justified.
In a big field of 20, Merchant Navy was allowed to find his feet in the 1200 metre sprint and charged to the line along the fence for Mark Zahra to win by a head over high class fillies Invincible Star and Formality.
“I just waited and waited,” said an elated Mark Zahra.
“I thought I’d run out of time!
“It was a great decision not to go to the Guineas. They freshened him up, put the blinkers on and dropped him back in trip. It was great planning from Aaron Purcell and his team.”
A $350,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Segenhoe Stud draft for Ciaron Maher Racing, Merchant Navy is a full brother to Group 2 winner Jolie Bay and stakes-placed Zara Bay.
With five wins from six starts his prizemoney just shy of $1million.
Merchant Navy is one of six winners from the good producing Snippets Group 3 winner Legally Bay, a half-sister to Group 1 winner Bonaria, who won the VRC Myer Classic in 2014.
Merchant Navy is the 30th Group 1 winner for champion sire Fastnet Rock.
#29 LAGANORE IS ANOTHER G1 STAR FOR FASTNET ROCK
The brilliant Laganore (5m Fastnet Rock-Lady Bones, by Royal Applause) brought another European Group 1 success for Fastnet Rock on Sunday.
Laganore was an easy G3 winner on her previous run and stepped up again to land a comfortable two-length success in the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio in Rome.
It was a first top-grade victory for Colin Keane, who is bidding for a first Irish jockeys’ championship.
The mare won easily and connections we’re delighted because she has her Group 1 win it’s likely that she’ll be retired as she is a valuable broodmare.
Coolmore Australia heavyweights Tom Magnier & Michael Kirwan
There is no doubt that the boy’s at Coolmore Stud have the "luck of the Irish" and an uncanny knack of buying into the right ones of their super sire FASTNET ROCK’s progeny.
Gai & Michael Kirwan win another Gr1
So it was no surprise when Coolmore’s Australian General Manager Michael Kirwan brought into our sensational colt by FASTNET ROCK from TEMPLE OF PEACE which makes our boy the ½ brother to Champion 3yo WHOBEGOTYOU.
MICHAEL KIRWAN - Coolmore Stud GM
Our colt is a genuine stallion prospect if his raceform can match up to his sensational pedigree. Our colt was purchased from the NZ Bloodstock Sale.
You get what you pay for and this colt with the looks and the pedigree and with the right owners in the co-ownership is the most expensive horse we have offered for sale.
At $13,250 per 5% Share it may also become the best valued horse we have ever offered.
Our colt - Photo taken 29 August.
Our Colt - 1st August
Our colt in pre-training 6 July
Our colt with a highly commercial stallions pedigree is with HALL OF FAME Trainer
GAI WATERHOUSE and Adrian Bott.
5% Shares with FULL OWNERS Privileges
Bred to be a CLASSICS CONTENDER !
Aiming towards the:
GUINEAS ~ DERBIES ~ CUPS ~ PLATE !
Gai holds her Melbourne Cup (Fiorente) & Dean Watt holds his Cox Plate (Savabeel)
Want to win one of these trophies above ?
This colt is the type of horse you need !
Co-Trainer Adrian Bott with Team Dynamic Adam Watt & Richard Lasek at Randwick trackwork
Contact ADAM WATT on 02 9587 1511 to chat about the colt.