One to Watch – Geelong

Tara Madgwick - Thursday December 27

There was wall to wall racing across Australia and New Zealand on Boxing Day, but there was no better bred winner on Wednesday than this two year-old son of Fastnet Rock.

It’s not uncommon for Lindsay Park to start their talented two year-olds off at the provincials with the juvenile maiden at Geelong selected as a starting point for Fastnet Rock colt Viking Warrior, a homebred for Robert Crabtree’s Dorrington Farm.

He jumped well from gate one and found the front for Corey Parish, leading throughout and dashing away to win the 1116 metre contest by more than three lengths.

Prepared by the Hayes Dabernig team, Viking Warrior is entered for the Group I MRC Blue Diamond and is the last foal of outstanding producer Scandinavia, who turned 24 this year.

A Group II winning daughter of Snippets, Scandinavia has had 10 foals to race and eight are winners headed by Group I winner and sire Magnus, Group II winners Wilander and Scandiva (also by Fastnet Rock) and stakes-winner Arctic Flight.

One of her unraced daughters is Helsinge, the dam of champions Black Caviar and All Too Hard, so Viking Warrior really is bred in the purple!

Advertisment

More Reading...

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.

Embellish Filly Wins G2 Lowland Stakes

Robbie Patterson looks to have another serious Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) contender on his hands following Ultimate Habit’s victory at Trentham on Saturday and as her names suggests, she is from the family of the great champion Rough Habit.

Wrote Mare Turns Back the Clock for Second G3 Bellmaine

Seven-year-old mare Wrote To Arataki landed her second Gr.3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) three years after her first, with a strong front-running success under Dean Yendall at Caulfield on Saturday.

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.

$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).

$1.7million Apocalyptic Brother Wins G3 Canonbury on Debut

The market for this year’s $5million Group I ATC Golden Slipper was thrown upside down, shaken and stirred after the running of the Group III ATC Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday with victory going to blueblood first starter Hidrix.

Trapeze Artist Filly Wins G3 Widden

It only seems fitting that a filly bred at Widden Stud should win the Group III ATC Widden Stakes (1100m) with victory at Rosehill on Saturday going to Trapeze Artist filly Chilly Girl.

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.

30th SW Almanzor - Manzor Blue Wins G3 Wellington Cup

Palmerton North mare Manzor Blue caused a major upset when taking out the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham on Saturday.

New SW Staphanos - Special Sakura Wins Listed

Taranaki visitor Special Sakura upset the applecart when she led from go to whoa to bring up just her third career victory, and first at black-type level, when winning the Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m) at Ellerslie.