Winning Return for Fastnet Rock Mare

Class will carry you a long way and so it was for Group I MRC Thousand Guineas winner Amicus (4m Fastnet Rock x Gold Chant, by El Moxie), who surged late to snatch a narrow win in the Group II ATC Thoroughbred Breeders Classic at Randwick on Saturday. The blue-blooded daughter of champion sire Fastnet Rock had two quiet trials under her belt and presented in top order for Chris Waller at her first run back from a spell. She charged home along the inside for Hugh Bowman to post a nose win in the 1200 metre sprint and looks primed for another fruitful campaign. “Her main target this campaign is dodging Catkins and Winx,” quipped Chris Waller. “That’s why she’s here ready to go today and they are not. “Now we’ll look towards the Coolmore (Group I, March 12), a 1500 metre handicap on her home track Rosehill. She wasn’t beaten far in it last year and she’ll be well in it again this year.” A $500,000 Magic Millions purchase for her trainer from the Tyreel Stud draft, Amicus runs for a syndicate of Waller stable clients and has the overall record of five wins from 18 starts with prizemoney topping $780,000. Bred by Makybe and consigned by Tyreel, Amicus is a half-sister to stakes-placed Il Cavallo from stakes-placed Gold Chant, a half-sister by El Moxie to champion sprinter and successful sire Starspangledbanner. Amicus has a full sister to be offered at the 2016 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by Milburn Creek as agent for Makybe as Lot 326. Fastnet Rock made it a winning double at Randwick when Bull Point (5h Fastnet Rock x Rose of Cimmaron, by Bite the Bullet) saluted in the open handicap over a mile, his first win since taking out the Group III MRC Manfred Stakes at Caulfield two years ago.