New Stakes-Winner for Fastnet
Champion sire Fastnet Rock scored a winning double at the lucrative Scone meeting on Saturday with his classy filly Serene Majesty (3f Fastnet Rock x Custard, by Lonhro ) winning the $400,000 Inglis Scone Guineas and his progressive son Kaepernick (4g Fastnet Rock x Volcada, by Stravinsky) taking out the Listed $140,000 Ortensia Stakes.
Fit and ready to fire at his first run back from a spell following two recent trials wins, the Hawkes Racing trained gelding duly delivered the right result when powering clear to win the 1100 metre sprint by two and a quarter lengths.
"I got more confident when Michael was legging me up and he said ‘he’ll win’,” said winning rider Robert Thompson.
"He’s a very nice horse. I rode him quiet, let him go through his gears and when I let him go he went whoosh.
"He picked them up in two strides. I’m sure there are more wins in store.”
Kaepernick has the overall record of five wins and four placings from 13 starts with prizemoney of $338,750.
"His headspace now is really right,” Michael Hawkes said. "He’s got a long way to go we’re finally getting there.
"The Stradbroke is the ultimate goal so long as he does everything right going forward.”
A $400,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Broadwater Thoroughbreds draft, Kaepernick was bred by Jonathan Munz, whose Pinecliff Racing Syndicate still shares in his ownership.
He is the best of four winners from stakes-winning Stravinsky mare Volcada, who is out of a half-sister to Group I winner Ideal Planet.
The current yearling from Volcada, a colt by Choisir, was sold at Magic Millions for $120,000 and she has a colt to follow by Fastnet Rock.
Kapernick is the 94th stakes-winner worldwide for outstanding sire Fastnet Rock.