Brilliant Return for Fastnet Rock Colt

Champion sire Fastnet Rock is enjoying a great run with his two year-olds this season adding another impressive winner to the tally at Canterbury on Friday night when royally bred colt O’President (2c Fastnet Rock x O'Marilyn, by O'Reilly) scored a dominant victory.

Prepared by Chris Waller, O’President did plenty wrong at his first start last year when sixth behind Tiger of Malay in the ATC Kirkham Plate over 1000m on October 24.

A more seasoned colt for this outing, O’President made light of the heavy ground to lead all the way under James McDonald and win the 1250m maiden by a commanding four lengths.

“He’s a nice horse, but he’s still maturing and is very much a baby both mentally and physically,” said McDonald.

“He’s going to make a lovely three year-old. He has good ability, he just needs to harness it in the right direction.”

Stable representative Charlie Duckworth was also well pleased with O’President.

“It was a very soft win in the end. I think the way he’s come back, he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with,” Duckworth added.

A $520,000 Inglis Easter purchase for James Bester Bloodstock from the Kia Ora Stud draft, O’President runs for a big syndicate headed by Coolmore and various partners with Kia Ora Stud retaining a small share in his ownership.

Broken in and educated at Coolmore, O’President is a full brother to recent metro winner Fifteen Aria and is the second winner from Group I winning 2YO Filly O’Marilyn, a half-sister by O’Reilly to Group I winners Headturner and Anacheeva as well as Group II winner Kroner from blue hen Monroe Magic.

O’Marilyn produced a colt by Fastnet Rock in 2020 and was then covered by Justify.