Fastnet Filly Wins Tassie Oaks

Improving filly Rock Robster (3f Fastnet Rock x Chinese Whispers, by Woodman) made a successful raid on the Listed Tasmanian Oaks on Wednesday, taking the 2100 metre staying test by the best part of a length. The David Hayes trained filly broke her maiden at Pakenham last start with an emphatic two length win over 1750 metres, which convinced connections to give her a shot at Black Type with happy results. Rock Robster was a $100,000 Magic Millions purchase for Mark Pilkington Bloodstock from the Patinack Farm draft and is one of three winners, but the first stakes-winner from Woodman mare Chinese Whispers, a half-sister to stakes-winner Sunrise Silence and to the dam of stakes-winners Royal Discretion and Roulettes. She becomes the 26th stakes-winner for Fastnet Rock and is his tenth in Australia this season. Interestingly, Rock Robster is bred on a cross that is enjoying some success with Fastnet Rock over daughters of Woodman producing seven winners from 11 runners, with three of those winners being stakes-winners – Rock Robster joined by Rothesay and Stryker. Fastnet Rock has 28 yearlings catalogued for next week’s 2012 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.