Stakes Goals for Pierro Filly
Progressive filly Rocha Clock (3f Pierro x Rocha, by Encosta de Lago) is putting together an impressive record, scoring her fourth win from just six starts at Randwick on Saturday signalling the potential of Black Type to come.
Prepared by John O’Shea for his close friend Jason Abrahams, Rocha Clock was favourite for the Benchmark 78 event over 1300 metres.'
Ridden forward at her previous start when unplaced in the Group III ATC JB Carr Stakes, Rocha Clock reverted to her previous pattern of racing this time, settling back and charging to the line to win running away by a length.
“She exceeded expectations today to be fair,” said John O’Shea said.
“It was a beautiful ride by Hugh (Bowman). When she relaxes she has a devastating turn of foot.”
O’Shea confirmed she would head to the Inglis Guineas (1400m) in two weeks at Rosehill before a possible winter carnival campaign in Queensland.
“She will get an opportunity to race against the colts there and then she is on track to possibly go to Queensland for a stakes race up there,” O’Shea said.
Rocha Clock was recorded as a $200,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Coolmore draft, but when that sale fell through the plan was to send her to New Zealand for the Ready to Run Sale for which she was entered.
At that point, John O’Shea approached Coolmore to purchase her privately given he and Jason Abrahams had been greatly impressed with her at Inglis Easter and the rest is history.
Rocha Clock has already won nearly $170,000 in prizemoney with the promise of a great deal more to come as her career unfolds.
She is the best of five winners from five foals to race from Group II winning Encosta de Lago mare Rocha, a daughter of Group I South Australian Oaks winner Larrocha.
This is the family of Group I Victoria Derby winner Blackfriars and this year’s Group I ATC Australian Derby winner Quick Thinker.
Coolmore sold the current yearling from Rocha, a filly by Vancouver, for $150,000 at Inglis Easter to O’Brien Thoroughbreds.
Rocha has a weanling filly by Caravaggio and is in foal to American Pharoah.