Trans-Tasman Stakes Double for Fastnet Rock

Champion sire Fastnet Rock posted a trans-Tasman stakes-double on Saturday with Irish bred gelding Fastnet Tempest (6g Fastnet Rock x Dame Blanche, by Be My Guest) winning the Group III SAJC Robert A Lee Stakes at Morphettville, while in New Zealand Hinerangi (5m Fastnet Rock x Hinemoa, by Elusive City) claimed her first Black Type win in the Listed Rangitikei Gold Cup at Awapuni.

A stakes-winner last season for the Hayes Dabernig team at Lindsay Park, Fastnet Tempest struck his best form when powering to a dominant length and three-quarter win in the 1600 metre feature.

Previously trained in the UK by William Haggas, Fastnet Tempest has the overall record of eight wins and 10 placings from 32 starts with prizemoney in excess of $660,000.

He is the best of seven winners from Dame Blanche and is a half-brother to the dam of Group III winner Sweety Dream.

Fastnet Rock added a 146th stakes-winner to his tally when promising mare Hinerangi took out the Listed James Bull Rangitikei Gold Cup (1600m) for the powerful stable of Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.

Raced in the colours of her breeder Christopher Grace, who owns the Fastnet Rock mare with wife Susanna, Hinerangi dominated the contest from outside the pace and scored a tenacious half neck win in the 1600 metre contest, her fifth win from just 20 starts.

Having his first ride aboard Hinerangi, winning rider Robbie Hannam was delighted with the result as he joked about the imposing physical presence of his mount.

“She’s a monster isn’t she,” he said.

“She races on pace and grinds really good and she only had 53kg on her back today.

“What I didn’t want to do was sit and sprint as I wanted to make it more of a staying mile.

“That’s what happened as there was only two of us in it at the end and she just out-toughed the other horse.”

Christopher Grace was also full of smiles with the victory in a major race at his home track.

“It’s a wonderful thrill to win a race on your home track,” he said.

“The mare will be going out (for a spell) now, she’s got a bit of black-type and that’s what we want.”

Hinerangi is the first winner for stakes-winner Hinemoa.

Fastnet Rock stands at Coolmore this spring at a fee of $165,000.