Group Double for Fastnet Rock
Talented filly Anaheed (2f Fastnet Rock x Rostova, by Testa Rossa) announced herself as a serious Golden Slipper contender at Randwick on Saturday with a stylish victory in the Group II ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes and was the first leg of a Group double for her champion sire Fastnet Rock.
A homebred for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, the Peter and Paul Snowden trained filly improved off a last start fifth in the Group III MRC Blue Diamond Prelude to score a three-quarter length win in the 1200 metre sprint.
Winning rider Tim Clark was full of praise for Anaheed and could see no reason why she would not be a contender for next month's Golden Slipper.
"I liked her when I rode her here and won on her (debut win in October). She's a stronger filly now and I think she's got good improvement to come too," Clark said.
"She's two from two in Sydney; her only defeat, she was down on the inside among horses and she didn't look overly comfortable.
"She's definitely put her hand up and she handles all conditions.
Snowden said Anaheed was unlikely to race again before the Slipper but could be given a barrier trial to keep her ticking over.
Foaled and raised at Coolmore, Anaheed has won nearly $200,000 from her two wins from just three starts and is a half-brother to stakes-placed Farooq and is the third winner for Group I winning Testa Rossa mare Rostova.
Tim Stakemire purchased Rostova for the Sheikh for $850,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2015 when she was in foal to Frankel, a mating that produced promising three year-old colt Farooq.
Anaheed is the 143rd stakes-winner for champion sire Fastnet Rock, who posted a Group double at Randwick with Dreamforce (6g Fastnet Rock x Eskimo Queen, by Shinko King) taking out the Group III ATC Liverpool City Cup.
The John Thompson trained gelding is a multiple stakes-winner and has won 10 of 23 starts earning over $670,000 in prizemoney and his full sister will be offered by Kitchwin Hills as Lot 444 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.