Rocket Spade Continues Stellar Run for Inglis Graduates

Media Release - Monday March 8

The stellar run of success being enjoyed by Inglis graduates continued in New Zealand on Sunday with Inglis Easter Yearling Sale colt Rocket Spade a determined winner of the G1 New Zealand Derby in testing conditions at Ellerslie.

Rocket Spade was purchased at Easter for $425,000 by Hermitage Thoroughbreds/Wexford Stables and continues the extraordinary association Hermitage has with Australasia’s best yearling sale, with other recent purchases from Easter including top-class performers The Autumn Sun, Egg Tart, Summer Passage, Dragon Leap, Wu Gok and Spring Heat as well as hugely exciting prospect April Rain.

Rocket Spade wins the New Zealand Derby.

The son of Fastnet Rock, a short-priced favourite on the back of a pair of G2 wins since the turn of the year, looked to have found himself in an impossible position when buried away towards the rear approaching the home turn.

However, jockey Craig Grylls wove a passage to the inside of rivals and his mount proved hugely determined through the closing stages to take out the NZ$1m contest in a tight finish.

Rocket Spade is the 58th G1 winning graduate of Inglis sales since 2018 and is one of 18 G1 winning colts to graduate from Inglis sales in that period, 80% more than graduates of the nearest competitor.

Rocket Spade also becomes the 13th G1 winner by Coolmore’s champion sire Fastnet Rock to emerge from the Easter Yearling Sale.

The win of Rocket Spade continues a glorious run of success being enjoyed by Tyreel Stud, who offered the colt at the 2019 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale on behalf of his breeder Sun Stud.

Rocket Spade as a yearling

“I remember when the yearlings arrived from Sun Stud that year and I was delighted,” said Tyreel’s Linda Monds.

Advertisement

“They were a well-grown, athletic group of horses and when they look as they did, it really does make the job at the sales much easier!

“Rocket Spade was always the pick of them, he was a favourite amongst the staff as he had a lovely demeanour, so it’s great to see him go on and develop into a top-class racehorse,” said Monds.

The team at Tyreel are now looking forward with great anticipation to the 2021 renewal of the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, with graduates of the farm in the last 12 months including the likes of Classique Legend, Behemoth and Montefilia, as well as Rocket Spade.

“Obviously we are extremely grateful for the support we have received from buyers over the years and as a vendor, you hope your horses end up with good people and we have been lucky in that regard,” noted Monds.

“Our Easter draft is shaping up brilliantly – I couldn’t be happier!

“The five of them are all very different horses, but they all have something to catch your eye, so I’m really excited about the sale and looking forward to showing them off to buyers at Riverside.”

To view the Easter catalogue, CLICK HERE

Advertisment
More Reading...
New Stakes-Winner for Star Aussie Mare Sea Siren
Aussie bred Fastnet Rock mare Sea Siren has certainly made her mark both on the racetrack where she was a triple Group I winner and at stud with her produce record is headed by triple Group I winner Warm Heart and over the weekend she produced another stakes-winner and he won the richest race in Poland.
Manhattan Rain Gold Rush in WA
Geisel Park won’t be the only WA breeder on board when the first locally-conceived 2yo crop of its Group 1 sire Manhattan Rain get mobile this season.
Evaporate Caps Off Great Week for Per Incanto
Evaporate crowned a stellar period for his sire across the Tasman when he produced a gallant performance to land the thick end of the stake in Saturday’s Gr.3 Sandown Stakes (1500m).
Golden Rose Brings Second Season Shake Up
We are two months into a new racing season and the second season sires table was given a good shake up over the weekend with the $1million Group I Golden Rose and $300,000 Group II Stutt Stakes both producing a quinella for sires in this cohort.
Magic Carpet Writes New Chapter for Family
Jenna McLeod got a massive thrill when watching the latest generation of her family’s breed score at stakes level at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Satono’s Stunning Stats Continue as Rich Hill Sires Shine
Rich Hill Stud’s Group 1 stallion roster was the dominant force at Te Rapa’s premier meeting with their progeny claiming a feature race double.
Jenni The Pride of Trelawney
Comeback mare Pride Of Jenni has given Trelawney Stud a number of reasons to look forward to the spring after a dashing victory in the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) on Friday night.
Pedigree Watch – G1 European 2YO
Juveniles took centre stage overnight in the UK and Ireland with a pair of Group I races decided at Newmarket in the Middle Park Stakes (6f) for the colts and Cheveley Park Stakes (6f) for the fillies, while at The Curragh a field of 30 lined up in the Goffs Million, the richest 2YO race in Europe.
Sires With Winners - Sunday September 28
Here is the full list of 73 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Saturday September 27
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.