Oaks Queen Unforgotten Leads Fastnet Stakes Treble
The Inglis Easter sale-topper and three stakes-winners at Randwick on the second day of The Championships including Group I ATC Australian Oaks winner Unforgotten (3f Fastnet Rock x Memories of You, by Galileo) made this a week to remember for champion sire Fastnet Rock.
A real rising star for the Chris Waller stable, Unforgotten beat the colts to win the Group II ATC Phar Lap Stakes last month before rattling home for second in the ATC Vinery Stakes over 2000 metres behind blue-blooded High Chaparral filly Hiyaam.
Punters believed she could turn the tables on Hiyaam in the Oaks over the longer 2400 metres and were proven correct as she triumphed to win by a length as favourite.
Ridden perfectly by Hugh Bowman, Unforgotten settled just worse than midfield and hit the line hard to win as she pleased in a brisk 2:27.21, which bettered Serenade Rose's 2006 race record of 2.28:80.
"She had the perfect run the way the race was run. We knew Hiyaam was the one to chase, she set about chasing and it was good to see her get the upper hand," Waller said.
"The first question was her stamina and whether it would hold up.
“For a three-year-old filly it's quite a long way, you don't know about 2400 metres until you run it."
A $360,000 NZB Premier Yearling Sale purchase from the Curraghmore Stud draft for Chris Waller Racing, Unforgotten has won five of nine starts earning over $1million in prizemoney for her big team of Waller stable clients.
Foaled and raised at Coolmore, Unforgotten is a sister to stakes-placed Special Memories and is the third winner from Memories of You (IRE), a half-sister to dual Group I winner Matiara from an impressive European Black Type family.
Memories of You produced a colt by brilliant Group I winner No Nay Never last spring and was then covered by Champion 2YO Air Force Blue.
Unforgotten is the 34th Group I winner worldwide for Fastnet Rock and is the seventh bred from a daughter of Galileo.
She was the third stakes-winner at Randwick for Fastnet Rock joining California Turbo and Catchy.