Exciting Maiden Winners for Fastnet Rock

Champion sire Fastnet Rock had an interesting double of blue-blooded maiden winners at Hawkesbury on Thursday, both three year-olds aiming towards Group I goals in the spring. Sent out at Black Caviar odds, Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond place-getter Lake Geneva (3f Fastnet Rock Hips Don’t Lie, by Stravinsky) quickly cast off maiden status with a comprehensive victory. The Hawkes Racing trained daughter of Fastnet Rock was ridden confidently by Tommy Berry, tracking the pace before forging clear to win the 1000 metre maiden in a tick over 57 seconds. It was probably more barrier trial than race, but allowed Lake Geneva to put a win on the board after a lucrative, but ultimately winless, juvenile season that saw her placed in each of four runs all in Group company. A $1million Inglis Easter purchase from the Coolmore draft, Lake Geneva runs for Coolmore and partners and has been entered for all the spring majors. Already a winner of nearly $500,000 in prizemoney, Lake Geneva was foaled and raised at Coolmore and is the first winner for Group II winning Stravinsky mare Hips Don’t Lie. Hips Don’t Lie is all but married to Fastnet Rock and has a two year-old filly by the sire called Irish Sea, a yearling filly by him and will again to the champion son of Danehill this year. Lake Geneva was not the only impressive maiden winner for Fastnet Rock. Also winning on debut for Team Hawkes was three year-old colt Jadeer (3c Fastnet Rock x Moon is Up, by Woodman), who jumped smartly for Tommy Berry and led throughout to win the 1300 metre maiden by a couple of lengths. A homebred for Sheikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Jadeer is entered for all the spring majors and the Group I ATC Golden Rose, so a win on the board on debut is a step in the right direction. Foaled and raised at Coolmore, Jadeer has a huge international pedigree being a half-brother to Australian bred South African Group I winner Amanee and to the dam of Group I Breeders Cup Mile winner Karakontie. He is the seventh winner for stakes-winning Woodman mare Moon is Up, a three-quarter sister to Group I winner / champion sire Kingmambo and half-sister to Group I winner East of the Moon from champion mare Miesque. Jadeer is a colt with serious international stallion appeal if he can gain the Black Type to match his world class pedigree. 22 year-old Moon is Up has a yearling filly by Fastnet Rock, but missed to him last spring.