Home-bred stallion Roc de Cambes repaid the faith shown in him by The Oaks Stud when he got off the mark at Otaki on Thursday.
The Group One-performed son of Red Ransom opened his winning account courtesy of a smart performance by his two-year-old daughter Reminisce.
“She was only the stallion’s fourth raceday representative so it’s a huge thrill,” The Oaks’ general manager Rick Williams said.
“It certainly wasn’t a big surprise either as she worked up well with the favourite (Wawrinka) during the week.“She jumped well and trailed the leader, did everything Darryl (Bradley) asked of her and got out at the right time.
“She’s the first foal of the Zabeel mare Animate, who won a couple over 1400 metres for us, and there’s a lot of speed in the family.”Roc de Cambes was the winner of four of his eight starts in Japan, including success at Group Two and Three level, and was twice Group One placed before his retirement to The Oaks.
He is out of the Fairy King mare Fairy Lights and is a half-brother to the dual Group Two Hawke’s Bay and Wellington Guineas winner Keyora and to the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby runner-up Roman Chariot.“We’ve backed ourselves with this stallion and 30 of The Oaks mares went to him last year and again this year there will be over 30 going to him,” Williams said.
“It’s nice to get a two-year-old winner by him and I expect to see more of them and his three-year-olds coming out between now and the New Year and running in the right races.”
