At
this time of year we find a lot of promising three year-olds are popping up at
provincial meetings as they seek to put runs on the board to earn a crack at
spring Black Type and two such winners by champion sires Fastnet Rock and Snitzel
caught our eye at Newcastle on Thursday.
The Chris Waller trained Fastnet Rock filly Living Rocks improved on her debut
second at Canterbury last month storming home out wide for Kathy O'Hara to win
the 1300 metre maiden by half a length as favourite.
A $440,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Northern Farm from the Sledmere draft,
Living Rocks runs for Katsumi Yoshida and is entered for the Group I MRC Thousand
Guineas.
She is a half-sister to South African Group III winner Ready to Attack and is the
third winner from Group I winning Cape Cross (IRE) mare Gaze, who won up to 2000
metres so longer trips should hold no fears for Living Rocks.
A filly that will probably have more speed oriented goals this spring is the
Gerald Ryan trained Snitzel filly Wayupinthesky, who was a hot favourite in the
900 metre Class 1 event, but had to pull out all the stops to beat Godolphin's
Vivaro by half a neck with some four lengths back to the next horse.
It was the first run back from a spell for Wayupinthesky, who was fifth on
debut to Tenley in the Group II ATC Reisling Stakes before winning at
Canterbury and then heading to the paddock.
A $400,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Arrowfield draft for Kitchwin Hills,
Wayupinthesky is the first winner for The Darling One, a Group II placed Lonhro
mare from the family of Group II winner and $1.5 million earner Rain Affair.