Rock juvenile wins Curragh G3

Coral Wave (2f Rock Of Gibraltar-Common Knowledge, by Rainbow Quest) continued a great season for Rock Of Gibraltar’s juveniles when winning the G3 C L Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh.

Rick Barnes’ home-bred, successful in the Listed Flame Of Tara Stakes on her previous outing, held off Dylan Thomas’s three-parts sister Homecoming Queen (2f Holy Roman Emperor-Lagrion, by Diesis) to score by a neck.

“It’s my first Group winner so a special day and especially to have it at my home track the Curragh,” said Prendergast, “I really wanted to run her in the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and she was working better then than she is now but I just felt the ground was a little too quick and she’s still quite weak.

“Rick Barnes and myself decided this morning that win lose or draw she was going home now this week back to the stud to rest.

“I was hoping for rain but then it got really heavy and I started to worry because she is still a bit immature and it could have been a hard slog.

“I think she might be a G1 Irish Oaks filly next year although I wouldn’t right off the Guineas. I’d be surprised if she doesn’t develop over the winter and in fact I ran her one time more than I planned to this year.”