Spade rockets to Auckland Guineas glory whilst Avantage adds a fourth Group 1 to her resume.
Fastnet Rock's (Danehill) fine season gathered even more momentum on Friday as his son Rocket Spade (3 c ex Affairoftheheart by Fusaichi Pegasus) landed the Auckland Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) at Ellerslie and in so doing became the 167th stakes winner for the Coolmore Stud-based sire.
In winning the race the colt also provided owners Hermitage Thoroughbreds and trainers Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott back-to-back victories in the Group 2 following up Dragon Leap's (Pierro) win 12 months ago.
Last seen finishing fifth in the New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in November, Rocket Spade travelled boldly just behind the leaders rounding the home turn, before sweeping to the front to beat the strong-finishing Jason Belltree (Ferlax) by three-quarters of a length, while On Display (Showcasing) was a further length away in third.
"This is really good for the owners, who won the same race last year with Dragon Leap," O'Sullivan said.
"Hermitage have been great supporters of Wexford Stables for the last five years or so. We're very fortunate to have the opportunity to go to the sales every year and buy a horse or two for them. It's great when those horses come out and win nice races."
The co-trainers are now eyeing a tilt at the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m).
"This is a good horse and he's bred to run a mile and a half, so we're looking forward to getting him up over ground," O'Sullivan said.
"He doesn't have as much acceleration as Dragon Leap, but he might have a bit more stamina and could be more suited to the Derby trip."
Purchased by Hermitage and Wexford Stables for $425,000 at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the Tyreel Stud draft, the Sun Kingdom-bred colt is out of six time-winning Listed-placed Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr Prospector) mare Affairoftheheart.
Affairoftheheart herself is the daughter of Listed winner Call Me Lily (Just A Dancer) and she also produced dual Group 1 winner Soriano (Savabeel) and Group 3 scorer Kaiser Franz (Savabeel).
Affairoftheheart's colt by Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) was purchased by Matt Dunn and Neil Jenkinson for $150,000 at last year's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and he is now called Holstein and is unraced. The mare's 2019 colt by Sun Stud-based sire Thronum (Snitzel) was bought by Regal Thoroughbreds for $7,000 via the Inglis Digital Online August Sale and after missing to his barnmate National Defense (Invincible Spirit), she was covered again by that same sire last season.
Fastnet Rock's progeny is headed by 40 Group 1 winners, including star mare Avantage, who added a fourth Group 1 to her record when she landed the Sistema Railway (Gr 1, 1200m) at Ellerslie later on in the afternoon.
The Jamie Richards-trained five-year-old had been placed at Group 1 level in her last three starts and on Friday beat Julius (Swiss Ace) by a long neck.
Richards said the mare will aim to add a fifth Group 1 to her record when she defends her title in the Telegraph Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) at Trentham in two weeks time.
"The logical step for her is the Telegraph," he said.
"That was what we did last year after running in the Hallmark here and then back to Te Rapa for the BCD Sprint.
"She has a great constitution and we put a lot of thought and effort into this one after she had her run at 2000 metres.
"You have to have the horse to do it though and luckily we have."
David Ellis bought Avantage for NZ$210,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of The Oaks Stud and the mare took her record on Friday to 12 wins and seven placings from 22 starts with career earnings of more than $1.5 million.
Fastnet Rock is represented by 18 yearlings at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, which begins on January 12.
