Lone Rock Unleashes

Fastnet Rock posted his fourth Australian stakes-winner of the new season when his talented daughter Lone Rock (4m Fastnet Rock x Pride of Pine, by Lion Cavern) dropped from the clouds to score a breathtaking win in the Group III VRC Bobby Lewis Quality at Flemington on Saturday. A Group I winner of the SAJC Goodwood Handicap in her final run last season, the Robert Smerdon trained mare was easy in the betting for this 1200 metre assignment, but belied the lack of interest from punters when she sprouted wings in the last 100 metres to defeat previously unbeaten Bel Sprinter by a long neck. Lone Rock produced a stunning final 600 metre sectional of 32.16 seconds that blew the opposition out of the water. Stable foreman Henry Dwyer was taken aback with the performance of the daughter of Fastnet Rock. "From the 600 metre mark you could see her tracking into it," Dwyersaid. "It was just a matter of getting her clear and she really pounced. "It was a Group Three race in the book - but it was like a mini Newmarket or Lightning in quality. “It's onwards and upwards from here. "The option was a race at Caulfield in two weeks time - it wasn't lofty or anything - but now she's come out and done that you might have to think more than that. "I'll have to talk to Robert and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a better race in store," he added, while suggesting that race could well be the Group I Rupert Clarke Stakes over 1400 metres. One of 19 stakes-winners by Fastnet Rock, Lone Rock was purchased for $75,000 from the draft of Glastonbury Farms at the 2009 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and runs for long time Smerdon stable clients Tony and Joe Bongiorno. Lone Rock was bred by Lisa Randle of Pine Lodge Thoroughbreds and is the first runner for the twice winning Lion Cavern mare Pride of Pine. Pride of Pine hails from a fantastic female family that includes star producer Procrastinate, the dam of multiple Group I winner Laisserfaire as well as stakes-winners Centennial Park, Foreplay, Ballack, Personify and Time Thief. The current two year-old from Pride of Pine, another filly by Fastnet Rock fetched $230,000 at the Magic Millions Sale earlier this year to the bid of Keiran Moore Bloodstock and the mare was covered again by Fastnet Rock last spring. The two year-old is named Lucia Bella and will be trained by Kris Lees, so keep an eye out for her!