South African Stakes Double for Rock of Gibraltar

Rock of Gibraltar featured in South Africa on Saturday with a stakes double featuring Atyeb (5h Rock of Gibraltar x Atyab, by Mr Prospector) and Europa Point (5m Rock of Gibraltar x Gorband, by Woodman). A homebred for Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum trained by Mike de Kock, Australian bred five year-old stallion Atyeb scored a dominant two and a quarter length win in the Listed Aquanaut Handicap over 2450 metre. It was his third win from 10 starts and first in a Black Type event. Foaled and raised at Coolmore in Australia, Atyeb is a half-brother to English stakes-winner Musaalem and is one of five winners from the Mr Prospector mare Atyab, who was exported to South Africa in 2008. Rock of Gibraltar made it a stakes double on the program as his five year-old Irish bred daughter Europa Point earlier took out the Group III Acacia Handicap for the same trainer. A blue-blood who claims celebrated broodmare Fall Aspen as her third dam, Europa Point has won seven of 11 starts, with this her first victory in a stakes race. Both Atyeb and Europa Point are new stakes-winners for their sire bringing his overall tally to 71 stakes-winners worldwide.