30th Stakes-Winner for Fastnet Rock

Budding super sire Fastnet Rock was in hot form again on Saturday delivering a two state Group race double courtesy of his unbeaten star Atlantic Jewel (3f Fastnet Rock x Regard, by Zabeel) and rejuvenated sprinter We’re Gonna Rock (5g Fastnet Rock x Harrow, by Dehere), who became his 30th stakes-winner. The Mark Kavanagh trained Atlantic Jewel has been sidelined through injury following her seven length romp in the Group II VRC Wakeful Stakes last spring and emerged triumphant in the Group II ATC Sapphire Stakes at Randwick over 1200 metres. Taking on older mares for the first time, Atlantic Jewel made it look all too easy, settling worse than midfield for Michael Rodd before swooping around the field and powering clear to win by three and three-quarter lengths in the race record time of 1:08.96. Rodd has won a Melbourne Cup and a Cox Plate along with many other Group I features and after this win he just shook his head and declared "she does things they shouldn’t be able to do”. "She began really well and then she just switched off,” Rodd said. "I probably got to about three deep then just before I got to the turn I moved up outside Mid Summer Music and rolled out to about four deep, took her to the middle of the track and like everyone saw, I let the reins go, gave her a squeeze and she took off. "She just does everything so easy.” Atlantic Jewel will have one more Sydney start in either the Group I All Aged Stakes (1400m) or the Group II Emancipation Stakes (1600m), both races run at Randwick on April 28. "She’s just a remarkable horse, she makes me speechless,” said Mark Kavanagh. "They don’t come along very often horses like this – she’s a once in a lifetime horse. "The plan is to be gentle with her this autumn. Give her one more, then a nice rest and get her ready for the spring. "Nothing’s out of the question the way she’s going.” A $320,000 purchase for Demi O’Byrne from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2010 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Atlantic Jewel runs in the Coolmore colours for a syndicate of owners and has won all six starts to date earning $682,925. Bred by Greg Perry and foaled down at Vinery, Atlantic Jewel is the first living foal of the well bred Zabeel mare Regard, a grand-daughter of Group I Cheveley Park Stakes winner Pass the Peace. Regard was purchased for Perry by bloodstock agent Steve Brem for $340,000 at the 2008 MM National Broodmare Sale, but sadly had only one more foal following Atlantic Jewel before her premature death last year. Fastnet Rock made it a double when the Group III SAJC RN Irwin Stakes over 1100 metres at Morphettville was won by five year-old gelding We’re Gonna Rock, a $180,000 purchase from the Yarraman Park draft at the 2008 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Like Atlantic Jewel, We’re Gonna Rock is also trained by Mark Kavanagh, but unlike that filly, he has proven a challenge to get the best from over the years. Blessed with great natural talent, We’re Gonna Rock has shown flashes of brilliance during his 12 start career including a good second to More Joyous in the Group I MRC Toorak Handicap, but consistency has always been an issue until now. Since being gelded and given a year off, We’re Gonna Rock has returned with two excellent wins, scoring easily at Morphettville before his stylish three-quarter length victory in the Irwin Stakes as a well backed favourite. We’re Gonna Rock has won four races and more than $280,000 in prizemoney with the promise of more to come if he can hold his current form. We’re Gonna Rock is the 30th stakes-winner for Fastnet Rock and is from the Dehere mare Harrow, a half-sister to Group I winners Bluebird the Word and Porto Roca, who has shot to international fame as the dam of Group I Dubai World Cup winner Monterosso. Harrow had a yearling full sister to We’re Gonna Rock sell for $200,000 at Magic Millions earlier this year and is back in foal to Fastnet Rock again.