Stakes Double for Fastnet Rock

Champion sire Fastnet Rock featured on Saturday with a double of new stakes-winners in blue-blooded colt Rock Hero (3c Fastnet Rock x Gallant Tess, by Galileo) and speedy filly Anatina (3f Fastnet Rock x Quack, by Magic Ring). David Payne had plenty of thrills with quality mare Gallant Tess, who won over $800,000 in prizemoney, and he may well enjoy even more success with her first foal Rock Hero, who scored a fast finishing win in the Listed ATC Dulcify Stakes over 1600 metres. Payne will resist the temptation of a Melbourne campaign for the promising colt with the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes next Saturday at Randwick over 2000 metres named as his final goal before a well earned spell. A homebred for John Cordina that was foaled and raised at Kitchwin Hills, Rock Hero is the first foal for Gallant Tess, who won five races highlighted by the Group II AJC Chelmsford Stakes and was Group I placed on five occasions. Making it a double for Fastnet Rock was the lightly raced Robert Smerdon trained filly Anatina, who jumped from a last start maiden win at Geelong to her first Black Type success at just her fourth start. "Today's win is significant because she's a Fastnet Rock filly with a stakes win on her CV, now we'll have to try and get her to another level," Smerdon said. An expensive $460,000 Magic Millions purchase from the draft of Rosari Farm for Bahen Bloodstock and Malua Racing, Anatina runs for Lakeview Resources and Phil Sly. Anatina is a half-sister to stakes-winner Pricked from the good producer Quack, a daughter of former brilliant filly Mother Duck. Quack is due to foal to Encosta de Lago. Rock Hero and Anatina are the 50^th and 51^st stakes-winner for champion sire Fastnet Rock.