Guineas Winner for Fastnet Rock

Gelding might be the making of talented three year-old Sambro (3g Fastnet Rock x Eau de Joie, by Encosta de Lago), who finally delivered an overdue stakes victory when taking out the $200,000 Group III Hawkesbury Guineas on Saturday.

Prepared by Chris Waller, Sambro broke his maiden in good style in May last year but had been winless since then despite placing several in Black Type events.

Often tricky in the gates, Sambro had the use of a barrier blindfold that allowed him to start on terms and he surged clear at the finish to win the 1400 metre contest by a long neck.

Stable representative Charlie Duckworth was relieved gear changes finally seem to have calmed Sambro in the stalls.

"He's got no malice in him, he's just playing because he was just a child. He'd put a foot up in the barriers and get scratched," he said.

"He's finally come of age and worked it all out. His barrier manners have improved enormously now he's got the right head gear on.

"He would have won a lot more than two by now if that had been the case a year ago."

Sambro was a $420,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Baramul Stud draft for Chris Waller Racing and runs for a syndicate of stable clients. His overall record reads two wins and seven placings from 15 starts with prizemoney topping $256,000.

He is the third winner from stakes-placed Encosta de Lago mare Eau de Joie, a half-sister to Golden Slipper winner Polar Success.

Sambro is the 136th stakes-winner for champion sire Fastnet Rock.