Giant Killer Roch 'n' Horse Claims Biggest Scalp of all in Champions Sprint

Mark Smith - Saturday November 5

Roch 'n' Horse lived up to her giant killer reputation when lowering the boom on the world's highest-rated sprinter Nature Strip in the $3,000,000 Group 1 Darley Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Second Group 1 for Jamie Mott (image Grant Courtney)

Ridden by Jamie Mott for Michael Moroney, the 6yo daughter of Per Incanto (USA) defeated Nature Strip (Nicconi) by a short-neck with the High Chaparral (IRE) speedball Baller a head back in third.

Less than a length covered the first seven across the line. It was a hard watch for supporters of the previously unbeaten Giga Kick, who ran in to traffic problems when having plenty left to offer.

Advertisement

Roch 'n' Horse was winning for the first time since capturing the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap as a $101 shot over the same course and distance back in March.

With her second Group 1, Roch 'n' Horse advances her record to five wins, six seconds, and two thirds from 18 starts with earnings of $2,863,320.

“A great performance by all my staff and my vets because she’s not the easiest at times, but she’s a very good mare, and we knew it was no fluke, the Newmarket, and we were happy to take them on today,” Moroney said.

“We scratched out of the Manikato. I was with her when the lightning came, and she really got a bit frazzled with the lightning above her, she didn’t eat.

“So I got her there (the next day), and they didn’t upgrade the track so we pulled her out. That was the best decision.

 “I just thought that she got exposed a bit early. She’s one that got a really good turn-of-foot but hasn’t got a long, long one. Today, she gutsed it out as she did in the Newmarket.

Big result for the Williams family (image Grant Courtney)

“She was fresh today, she’s better on the fresh side. You learn more about them as you go along and I certainly learnt more about her today.

“This has been a great track to me. I’ve won a couple of Derbies, an Oaks, the Melbourne Cup, a couple of Newmarkets down the straight. We’ve won most of the Group 1s here and it has been a great track for me.

“I think it is the best track in the world.”

“Everyone knows Jamie’s such a great horseman, such a great rider. He’s got a great set of hands on him and she can get tugging a little bit so it really suited her.

“I feel a bit sorry for Patrick Moloney, who’s sitting watching it. He would’ve normally been on her but for the suspension on Emissary in the Melbourne Cup.”

Roch 'n' Horse is bred and raced by Little Avondale Stud after failing to make her modest $40,000 reserve at the 2018 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale.

She is the best of three foals from as many to race out of the unraced Cecconi mare Rochfort a half-sister to Group III winner Weismuller and dual Listed winner Travolta

Rochfort is also a half-sister to Harlow Gold (Tavistock) who was second in the Group 1 VRC Oaks and third in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes.

Advertisment

Race Result - Darley Champions Sprint Gr1 1200m

Flemington Track: Good(3) Time: 1:09.19
1
Roch 'n' Horse
- 6m Per Incanto (USA) x Rochfort (NZ) (Cecconi (AUS))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: J Mott 56.5
2
0.2
Nature Strip
- 8g Nicconi (AUS) x Strikeline (AUS) (Desert Sun (GB))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 58.5
Nicconi
3
0.4
Baller
- 7g High Chaparral (IRE) x Fuwa (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: T J Gollan Rdr: M Zahra 58.5
4
0.7
Levante
- 6m Proisir (AUS) x Island Doy (GB) (Doyoun (IRE))
Tnr: K & B Kelso Rdr: M J Dee 56.5
5
0.8
Giga Kick
- 3g Scissor Kick (AUS) x Rekindled Applause (GB) (Royal Applause (GB))
Tnr: Clayton Douglas Rdr: Craig Williams 53.5
6
0.9
The Astrologist
- 6g Zoustar (AUS) x Aquada (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: L & T Corstens Rdr: N Rawiller 58.5
7
1.0
Lofty Strike
- 3c Snitzel (AUS) x Overreach (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Julius Sandhu Rdr: C Newitt 53.5
8
1.2
Rothfire
- 5g Rothesay (AUS) x Huss On Fire (NZ) (Hussonet (USA))
Tnr: R L Heathcote Rdr: L Nolen 58.5
9
1.4
Bella Nipotina
- 5m Pride Of Dubai (AUS) x Bella Orfana (AUS) (Star Witness (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Jamie Kah 56.5
10
1.5
Front Page
- 6g Magnus (AUS) x Stacey Lee (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: G M Duryea Rdr: B Melham 58.5
11
2.5
Paulele
- 4h Dawn Approach (IRE) x Chatoyant (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: B Avdulla 58.5
12
3.7
Argentia
- 4m Frankel (GB) x Princess Coup (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: Tim Clark 56.5
13
4.1
Masked Crusader
- 6g Toronado (IRE) x She's Got Gears (AUS) (Invincible Spirit (IRE))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Damien Thornton 58.5
14
6.1
The Inferno
- 6g Holy Roman Emperor (IRE) x Spina Rosa (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: C I Brown Rdr: John Allen 58.5
More Reading...
Do Early Winners Equate to Long Term Stud Success?
As we move towards the end of the racing season, attention invariably focuses on first season sires and who will be the leader of the cohort by winners and it’s a close run race this year, but does any of it matter in the grand scheme of things?
Mulberry Racing Secure Everest Slot
Racing NSW today announced that Mulberry Racing has secured a slot in the $20 million TAB Everest for a term of three years commencing with the running of this year’s race.
Roch 'N' Horse Retired - Sire Announced
Dual Group One winning mare Roch ‘N’ Horse has been retired, with owners Sam and Catriona Williams announcing who will be her initial mating.
Promising 2YOs for Pike
Tony Pike found it difficult to split his juvenile charges the last time they took each other on and it’s the same story at Ruakaka.
Blueblood Filly a Third Winner for Tagaloa
Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes winner Tagaloa is one of the more affordable sires on the Yulong roster and he sired his third winner at Bendigo on Thursday when well bred filly Teine Aulelia made a winning debut.
Oakleigh Plate Possible for Roch 'n Horse
Dual Group One straight course winner Roch ‘N’ Horse is a possible starter in Saturday’s Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Sandown after missing the Lightning Stakes (1000m) with a minor leg injury.
Breeding To Win – 2025 G1 Tatts Tiara
With Royal Ascot done and dusted for another year, let's turn our attention to the final G1 of the Australian racing season as some very expensive mares seek to land that elusive G1 and three runners will carry the Yulong colours!
Profondo Weanlings Impress
The first progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Profondo made a favourable impression during the NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka on Thursday.
Cambridge Stud to Sell Entire Draft at Karaka 2026
Leading thoroughbred nursery Cambridge Stud have committed their full support for NZB’s 2026 National Yearling Sales Series, with the announcement they will be selling 100% of their yearling stock at Karaka. 
$190,000 Per Incanto Colt Heads Vibrant Weanling Sale
The  2025 National Weanling Sale saw its first dual-code weanling session in play at Karaka, with a total aggregate of $2,410,000 outlaid across 84 lots by a strong domestic buying bench plus international support from Australia, Hong Kong and China.