At
this time of year we find a lot of promising three year-olds 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 Fastnet Rock and Choisir caught our
eye at Ballarat on Monday, both fillies entered for the Group I MRC Thousand
Guineas.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable sent out the favourite in the first
race and Fastnet Rock filly Isa Rocket duly saluted with a comfortable win in
the 1000 metre maiden, scoring by more than a length.
It was the first run back from a spell for Isa Rocket, who was fourth on debut
at Moonee Valley in February and then unplaced in a Listed race before going to
the paddock.
A $360,000 Magic Millions purchase for Blue Sky Bloodstock from the Segenhoe
Stud draft, Isa Rocket was bred by Segenhoe and runs in their colours. She is
the second winner from Angel Bee, a Group III placed Pins mare from Group III
winner Zabeel's Angel.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable also sent out promising Choisir filly
Snapdancer, who was a hot favourite in the 1200 metre maiden and cruised clear
to win by nearly two lengths.
A $180,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Sledmere Stud draft for Spicer
T'Breds/Darren Weir Racing, Snapdancer was second on debut at the same venue on
August 1 when she did plenty wrong, but looked a real professional this time around.
Snapdancer was a successful pinhook having been bought by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock
for $60,000 from the Coolmore draft at the Inglis Chairman's Sale as a
weanling.
Snapdancer is a three-quarter sister to Group III placed Drago and is the sixth
winner from Galileo mare Snapdragon (IRE), who comes from the family of Group I
Italian Derby winner In a Tiff.
Snapdragon was bought by Aquis in 2018 for $60,000 and produced a full brother
to Snapdancer last spring and was then covered by Choisir's Group I winning son
The Mission, who stands at Aquis at a fee of $13,200.