Australian Guineas Next for Fastnet Colt

Tara Madgwick - Saturday February 10
Lightly raced Fastnet Rock colt Holy Snow will be out to make up for lost time in the Group I VRC Australian Guineas after his dynamic last to first win in the Group II MRC Autumn Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

Holy Snow - Grant CourtneyHis trainer Mick Price said Holy Snow did plenty wrong as a spring three-year-old, which led to delays getting him qualified to race, but the Yulong Investments owned colt showed his potential with a placing in the Group II MVRC Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m).

"The thing about last prep, was that it was pretty messy because we spent maybe a month or so more than we needed to try and get his barrier certificate," Price said.

"He was a colt that used to fight and fight and fight and not do the right thing and it sort of wears your horse out.

"He was good in the Bill Stutt and the Caulfield Guineas caught him pretty trained off."

Holy Snow headed out for a spell after the Caulfield Guineas but finished hard from last on the home turn at his return to racing, swamping the leaders late under the riding of Mick Dee to score by 1 ¼ lengths in the 1400 metre contest after firming from $21 to $16.

Price said he has geared Holy Snow's preparation towards a second-up run in the Group I Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 3.

"What you saw is some sort of Australian Guineas formguide there and hopefully he can do that at the big Flemington track," Price said.

"We've done our work for straight in – second up at a mile at Flemington and that will be us."

A $260,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Canning Downs draft for Yu Long Investments, Holy Snow is the seventh winner and first Black type winner from Group II winning End Sweep (USA) mare Only Words.

Holy Snow has won two of six starts and over $150,000 in prizemoney and is the 129th stakes-winner for champion sire Fastnet Rock.


Advertisment
More Reading...
Milestone for Fastnet Rock
Champion sire Fastnet Rock clocked up his 100th Graded stakes-winner at the weekend in the US when five year-old entire Desert Stone captured the Group II San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita.
Godolphin Make Their Move
The first two days at Magic Millions were without a Godolphin purchase, but they moved swiftly in the first hour of trade on Friday to secure two fillies by Fastnet Rock and Snitzel for $600,000 each.
2025 G1 Spring Champion – Pedigree Preview
A lot of attention is paid to the sprinting three year-old division and much less so to the stayers, but with $2million in prizemoney the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday has attracted a full field of 14 and all of them are on trial at the trip.
Nicks That Click – Looks Like This One Has Worked Again
This nick involving two champion sires is well proven and documented with a two year-old winner last Saturday appearing as the latest example.
End Of An Era - 2025 G1 Cox Plate
“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still” - Franklin D Roosevelt.
$1million Fastnet Rock Colt Chasing Karaka Million 3YO
Victorian trainer David Hayes will be in New Zealand later this week as he puts the finishing touches on three-year-old colt Conqueror ahead of Saturday’s $1 million Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m).
First Win for $2.1million Magic Millions Sale-Topper
It was a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at Te Aroha on Wednesday when Avantaggia, the filly that topped the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, broke through for her maiden win in the Donaghys Moxipor (1150m).
NZB Ready to Run Breeze Ups Complete for 2025
The final day of NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups saw a further 202 two-year-olds gallop down the home straight at Te Rapa Racecourse.
More G1 Success for Fastnet Rock’s Avantage
A Champion 2YO that won the Karaka Million in 2018, quality Fastnet Rock mare Avantage again showed her class at Trentham on Saturday when scoring a determined victory in the Group I JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) defeating Enzo’s Lad, who had won the previous two editions of the prestigious sprint.
One To Watch – Belmont
We look far and wide to highlight Breednet’s ‘One To Watch’ and today’s winner of the first race at Belmont, 3yo D’Argento filly Ladies Pro, won in the manner of a horse with a nice future and in the process shone a spotlight on her sire who recorded his ninth winner so far this month.