Shoals (Fastnet Rock) winning the G1 Surround Stakes at Randwick

Second Group One for Fastnet Filly

Run as a Group I event for the first time this year, the ATC Surround Stakes at Randwick was won by royally bred filly Shoals (3f Fastnet Rock x The Broken Shore, by Hussonet).

A tenacious winner of the Group I VRC Myer Classic in the spring beating the older mares, the Anthony Freedman trained daughter of Fastnet Rock turned in an out of character failure at her first run back from a spell at Caulfield last month.

She bounced back quickly in this assignment travelling up on the pace for replacement rider Josh Parr before forging clear to win the 1400 metre contest by half a length.

“I’m lost for words to be honest. It’s never nice someone’s misfortune become my good fortune but gee the amount of times that happens in this industry and probably life itself is uncanny,” said Parr, who picked up the winning ride following the suspension of Blake Shinn.

“I galloped her on Tuesday morning and I was full of confidence after that. It was a really wet track and she gave me so much confidence with how she worked – I had a lot of horse up my sleeve.

“Coming here today I knew I’d land in a good spot in a forward position and she’s a really tough, gallant little thing.

“This is why we work so hard. It’s hard to explain it really is. It’s electrifying.”

Shoals has the impressive record of six wins and two seconds from nine starts with prizemoney of $1.3 million.

Shoals was retained to race by her breeders Arrowfield Stud and Jonathan Munz (in whose colours she runs) and is the first foal of The Broken Shore, who was bought by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock for $1.9 million at the Magic Millions Teeley Assets Dispersal in 2014.

A metropolitan winner by Hussonet (USA), The Broken Shore is a half-sister to Group I winners Redoute’s Choice, Manhattan Rain and Platinum Scissors as well as Group III winner Sliding Cube and stakes-winner Echoes of Heaven.

The Broken Shore has been to Fastnet Rock in three seasons running and her current two year-old filly, a full sister to Shoals, is called Tides and is also trained by Anthony Freedman.

The yearling colt by Fastnet Rock from The Broken Shore will be offered at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by Arrowfield Stud as Lot 400 and would have to be a leading contender to top the sale.