Awesome Rock emerged as a top stallion in the making with a deserved
Group One win in Saturday's $2 million Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington and sent the worth of his yearling half-sister skywards.
Sent out at $18
after an encouraging run on unsuitable ground behind champion galloper Winx,
Awesome Rock proved too strong for his rivals in an authoritative three
quarter length win.
The win was especially sweet for connections after losing the win in the
Group One Australian Cup earlier in the year on protest.
"It
was an amazing run today," an emotional co-trainer Troy Corstens said.
"I'm very lost for words, which is unlike me."
"It was a perfect ride today. He did such a great job Stephen. He sat
behind Vadamos in the slip stream and kept him out of that wind the whole
way."
"We were confident the whole way through. We always through he had the
Group One in him."
"This is my first Group One and to do it with my Dad is very special.
Not a lot of people get to spend much time with their Dad, but I spend six or
seven hours with him and as quirky as he is, he's a champion."
"He's an amazing looking animal and I'm sure he's got a bright stud
career ahead of him," Corstens added.
Corstens paid tribute to all connections for their faith in the father-son
training team and also thanks his mate Brad Spicer for selecting and
purchasing the entire.
It was at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale that Spicer and
others fell in love with Awesome Rock and they went to $575,000 to secure him
from the draft of Newgate Farm.
The purchase was a masterstroke with the quality stud prospect now boasting
earnings of over $2 million.
Regular rider Stephen Baster was over the moon with the success, fighting
back tears when speaking on Racing.com after the race.
"He's been a great horse for me," Baster said. "Obviously
losing the Australian Cup (on protest) was hard. I've got my little daughter
at the races today and it's so special to ride a Group One winner with her
here."
"He's a bloody good horse," Baster added.
The win was welcomed by Western Australian based breeders Gold Front
Thoroughbreds, they will offer, through Newgate Farm, a Snitzel half sister
to Awesome Rock at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
With the release of the catalogue imminent, Awesome Rock's half sister is
confirmed as Lot 648.
Both Awesome Rock and the sale bound Snitzel filly are from the Australian
group winning and New Zealand stakes winning Giant's Causeway mare Awesome
Planet.
And while Awesome Rock is no Winx - they do have a couple of things in
common. Both are graduate of the same sale - sold at the 2013 Gold Coast
Yearling Sale - and both from mares who won the listed Soliloquy Stakes in
New Zealand before retiring to stud.
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Winner: Awesome Rock
Breeding: Fastnet Rock-Awesome Planet (Giant's Causeway)
Race: VRC Mackinnon Stakes G1 (2000m)
Sold for: $575,000
Sale: 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Newgate Farm
Buyer: Spicer Thoroughbreds
Earnings: $2,028,720
Owner(s): S Saric, Mrs JC Saric, AJ Olive, WD Birch, Mrs DJ Birch, JM Trezise,
Mrs PM Trezise, Emmaroo Bloodstock (Mgr: Mrs CJ Murray) & Newgate SF (Mgr:
GD Murphy)
Trainer(s): Leon & Troy Corstens (Flemington)
MM Release