Fastnet Rock breaks northern hemisphere duck

Australian supersire Fastnet Rock had his first northern hemisphere-sired winner at Windsor on Monday night when the Richard Hannon-trained Oriel (2f Fastnet Rock-Labisa, by High Chaparral) won what looked a hot maiden. The filly was produced by Ryan Moore to get up on the line in the five-furlong contest to the delight of her owners, a Highclere Thoroughbred Racing syndicate that includes actor Hugh Bonneville. Highclere Thoroughbred Racing’s Harry Herbert told the Racing Post: “Ryan has given her an absolutely superb ride. She is a very good filly and we should have been running her over seven furlongs rather than five furlongs. She slipped at the start and she still managed to win. Looking at the fillies in the parade ring at the start, this could well prove to be a better than average maiden.” Oriel, who was bred by Michael Kerr-Dineen, is out of Labisa, a winning half-sister to the high-class Stimulation.