Lauriston Park's Chris Bakker could not be more delighted at the start
his well credentialled young stallion Rock Hero has made to his stud career,
the regally bred son of Fastnet Rock siring the sort of foals to impress any
stud master.
"His foals have been looking good at birth
but we did not want to get ahead of ourselves getting excited," Bakker
said. "But after a few weeks we have got happier and happier - he is
siring an exceptional type."
And it's not just Bakker saying that, the stud
fielding phone calls from around the state from very happy breeders keen to
book their mares in for a return visit to Rock Hero.
"One breeder told us his Rock Hero foals
are the best he has bred," Bakker said.
"We are so very pleased with our Rock Hero filly
out of Rainhill," said breeder Rob Stutchbury. "We were hoping that
he would put some size into the foal and he has. She is very much in the mould
of her sire, all quality."
Rock Hero's breeder John Cordina, who raced the
bay to a stunning Dulcify Quality victory, is also happy.
"I am thrilled with the first crop of Rock
Hero foals. It is a great sign that he is stamping his progeny, upgrading mares
and siring foals with good bone, strength and scope."
"They a great types, very athletic,"
he said, adding that he can see some of the traits of Rock Hero's outstanding
dam Gallant Tess and her sire Galileo coming through.
A dual Group Two winner of over $800,000 in stakes, Gallant Tess produced Rock
Hero as her first foal and Cordina has plenty to look forward to with this
family - Gallant Tess' All Too Hard two-year-old joining the David Payne stable
whilst her yearling by Snitzel has been described by Kitchwin Hills as "an
exceptional filly."
Gallant Tess produced another great looking
foal, a Snitzel colt, a couple of weeks ago and Cordina has booked her in for a
return visit to Rock Hero's sire Fastnet Rock.
Cordina was somewhat of a trail blazer when he
first sent Gallant Tess to Fastnet Rock - the cross of that champion stallion
with Galileo mares proving to be a simply outstanding one.
To date there have been 38 runners bred on the
cross, 29 of whom have been winners - a 76.3% strike rate compared to Fastnet
Rock's overall ratio of 66.4%.
And even more impressive is the fact that eight
of those winners are stakes winners (including the Group One winners Qualify,
Magicool and Intricately) - a 21% hit rate compared to Fastnet Rock's already
excellent 7.9% black type stats.
Add in the fact that Rock Hero, as a descendant
of the famed matriarch Mumtaz Mahal, hails from one of the world's great
stallion families, and he is a young stallion with plenty to offer.
For further information on Rock Hero contact
Lauriston Park'sChris and Kathie Bakker (0427 903 353) or LP
Stallion'sJulie Nairn (0402 901 910)
Inspect Rock Hero online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIHML47JD34&feature=youtu.be
And explore his pedigree at: www.lauristonpark.com.au/stallions/rock-hero