New Group Two Winner for Fastnet

Gooree Stud have been enjoying a great start to spring and added another big race win to their tally when promising entire Rock Sturdy (4h Fastnet Rock x Tzu Hsi, by Quest for Fame) captured the Group II ATC Shannon Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

A good last start second to Manawanui in Group III company last Saturday, the Joe Pride trained Rock Sturdy relished a quick seven day back-up to dash away and win this 1500 metre contest by a length and a half for Corey Brown.

Pride believes the horse has the physical attributes to handle another seven-day turn-around ahead of next Saturday’s Group I ATC Epsom Handicap at Randwick.

“I think he’s a very good chance of backing up next week,” Pride said.

“He’s not going to get many chances to go into a Group I race with 52 (kg) on his back and he will run the mile, no doubt about that.

“Horses that handle the back-up like that, and it was a pretty soft win today, he wasn’t under much pressure.”

A homebred for Gooree Stud, Rock Sturdy has the overall record of four wins and five placings from 11 starts with prizemoney of $320,860.

Rock Sturdy is the best of three winners from Tzu Hsi, a metro winning half-sister by Quest for Fame (GB) to Group III winning sprinter Swift Alliance.

Rock Sturdy is the 67th stakes-winner for champion sire Fastnet Rock, who also had the third place-getter in the race in Ninth Legion.