Champion
sire Fastnet Rock posted a trans-Tasman stakes-double on Saturday with Irish
bred gelding Fastnet Tempest winning the Group III SAJC Robert A Lee Stakes at Morphettville, while in New
Zealand Hinerangi claimed her
first Black Type win in the Listed Rangitikei Gold Cup at Awapuni.
A stakes-winner last season for the Hayes Dabernig team at Lindsay Park,
Fastnet Tempest struck his best form when powering to a dominant length and
three-quarter win in the 1600 metre feature.
Previously trained in the UK by William Haggas, Fastnet Tempest has the overall
record of eight wins and 10 placings from 32 starts with prizemoney in excess
of $660,000.
He is the best of seven winners from Dame Blanche and is a half-brother to the
dam of Group III winner Sweety Dream.
Fastnet Rock added a 146th stakes-winner to his tally when promising mare
Hinerangi took out the Listed James Bull Rangitikei Gold Cup (1600m) for the
powerful stable of Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.
Raced in the colours of her breeder Christopher Grace, who owns the Fastnet
Rock mare with wife Susanna, Hinerangi dominated the contest from outside the
pace and scored a tenacious half neck win in the 1600 metre contest, her fifth
win from just 20 starts.
Having his first ride aboard Hinerangi, winning rider Robbie Hannam was
delighted with the result as he joked about the imposing physical presence of
his mount.
"She's a monster isn't she," he said.
"She races on pace and grinds really good and she only had 53kg on her back
today.
"What I didn't want to do was sit and sprint as I wanted to make it more of a
staying mile.
"That's what happened as there was only two of us in it at the end and she just
out-toughed the other horse."
Christopher Grace was also full of smiles with the victory in a major race at
his home track.
"It's a wonderful thrill to win a race on your home track," he said
"The mare will be going out (for a spell) now, she's got a bit of black-type
and that's what we want."
Hinerangi is the first winner for stakes-winner Hinemoa.
Fastnet Rock stands at Coolmore this spring at a fee of $165,000.