Fastnet Winner Shows Promise

The familiar colours of So You Think's original owner Dato Tan Chin Nam were in the winner’s circle at Canterbury on Wednesday, carried to victory by progressive gelding Rockafella (3g Fastnet Rock x Glamorous Girl by Thorn Park). Prepared by James Cummings, Rockafella might be somewhat of a late starter having only recently made his debut with a Wyong win on July 12, but patience may ultimately pay off for connections. Stepping up into a Benchmark 67 event over 1100 metres against some handy three year-olds, Rockafella proved up to the task, finding the line strongly to win over Loverboy Charlie, the full brother to Group I winner Peggy Jean. The margin was half a neck, but with nearly four lengths back to the next horse it was clear that the top two are nice horses in the making. “It was a good effort to come here and show that sort of improvement from a maiden win into smart midweek company,” said James Cummings. A $280,000 NZB Premier purchase from the Cambridge Stud draft for DGR Thoroughbreds, Rockafella is the first winner for Group III winning Thorn Park mare Glamorous Girl. Fastnet Rock is having his usual good season in Australia with progeny earnings topping $9.6 million and 12 individual stakes-winners to his credit.