Rocket delivers in spades to claim thrilling NZ Derby
Aussie-bred son of Fastnet Rock comes out on top in three-way finish
Coolmore’s stalwart stallion Fastnet Rock (Danehill) sired the winner of the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) for a second consecutive year, as Rocket Spade (3 c Fastnet Rock – Affairoftheheart by Fusaichi Pegasus) ensured the Classic was won by an Australian-bred three-year-old for the third year in succession.
Winner of the Avondale Guineas (Gr 2, 2100m) a fortnight earlier, the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained colt was sent off favourite and emerged victorious in what was a thrilling finish to the race, with Milford (Savabeel) a head second, and Frontman (Makfi) a neck behind the winner in third.
In a rough and tumble race staged at Ellerslie, Rocket Spade took the inside track, one off the fence, when travelling at the rear of the field rounding the turn, while Milford and Frontman took the wide berth, cornering in the centre of the track. Picking his way through as the holes appeared, Craig Grylls found clear air on Rocket Spade, who joined his rivals in the centre and proved too strong for the battling pair inside the closing furlong.
A visibly emotional O’Sullivan, who won the race as a jockey in 1990 aboard Surfers Paradise (Crested Wave) and again in 1993 with Popsy (Sir Tristram) was delighted at the success.
“This is pretty special for Andrew and all of the team,” he said. “Scotty (Andrew Scott) has done a great job with this horse and it’s a great result.
“They went hard and Craig said he was going to ride him for luck as he believed in the horse. It was a no-panic, ten-out-of-ten ride that won him the race.
“This is probably more special for me as it is a lot harder to do as a trainer. I’m just thrilled for Craig and the team we have behind us.
“Andrew told me I can retire now because I’ve won a Derby.”
Carrying the colours of the Eugene Chuang-owned Hermitage Thoroughbreds, Rocket Spade was purchased for $425,000 out of the Tyreel Stud draft from the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale when picked out by O’Sullivan’s brother, Paul, for his current owners, who fielded the well-fancied Dragon Leap (Pierro) in last year’s edition of the NZ Derby, only to finish fourth.
“Paul picked this horse out at the sales and he keeps taking credit for it, so good on him,” said O’Sullivan.
“Thanks to the team at Hermitage who let us buy him at the sales. They told us we had five years to buy them a Derby winner and we’ve done it.”
Rocket Spade became the 41st top-flight winner for the revered Fastnet Rock, who claimed the race for a second year in a row after the success of Sherwood Forest in 2020. Fastnet Rock has also sired runners-up in the race, Rock ‘N’ Pop (2012) and In A Twinkling (2019).
It is also the third consecutive year the race has gone to an Australian-bred horse, with Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia D’Oro) winning in 2019 after being purchased out of the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for $50,000 in 2017.
Rocket Spade is out of the stakes-placed Affairoftheheart (Fusaichi Pegasus), a winner of six races, and half-sister to dual Group 1-winning filly in New Zealand Soriano (Savabeel) and Group 3 winner Kaiser Franz (Savabeel). Soriano has a Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) filly catalogued for April’s Inglis Easter sale under the Yulong draft (Lot 95).
He is the second winner out of Affairoftheheart, whose two-year-colt by Snitzel trialed for the first time at Rosehill on Thursday for Matthew Dunn, finishing second. The mare is resident at Sun Stud in Victoria and missed to National Defense (Invincible Spirit) in 2019, but is currently in foal to the stallion.
Te Akau enjoy Derby Day success
Although only able to finish 13th in the feature race of the day with Perfect Scenario (Iffraaj), it was still a day to remember for Te Akau Racing, with the tangerine and blue silks flashing home to claim the other three stakes races among five wins on the Ellerslie card.
Three-year-olds Need I Say More (No Nay Never) and Amarelinha (Savabeel) furthered their burgeoning race records, while the lighty-raced mare Entriviere (Tavistock) took her record to five wins from six starts by landing the King’s Plate (Gr 3, 1200m). The racing giant claimed two further races on the card through Prise De Fer (Savabeel) and Markus Aurelius (Ghibellines).
It was relief more than anything else for Jamie Richards as short-priced favourite Amarelinha continued her winning march to the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) with victory in the Sunline Vase (Gr 3, 2100m) although she was run to within a short head by Needle And Thread (Makfi).
Leading the field into the straight Needle And Thread, who stole three lengths on the fence as Amarelinha tracked wide under Opie Bosson, was reeled in by a gritty display from the star filly.
“That is certainly a relief,” Richards said after hearing the result of the photo-finish.
“It was unfortunate that when Opie tried to get forward and mobile, they all dug up inside him and she (Amarelinha) was very wide from the 600 metres.”
Amerelinha, a $300,000 purchase for David Ellis out of the Karaka Yearling Sale in 2019, backed up a win in the Fillies’ Classic (Gr 2, 2000m) and a second to Aegon (Sacred Falls) in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (RL, 1600m) to take her record to four wins from six starts.
The pair are likely to square off again for the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) on March 20.
“The second horse is no slouch as she has got very good form, so we will head to Wellington in a fortnight, ready to go,” added Richards.
Need I Say More also had to contend with a runaway leader entering the straight, however he picked up last-start winner Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) with slightly more ease, going on to win the Mufhasa Stakes (Listed, 1300m) by three-quarters of a length, with closing stablemate Cornflower Blue (Savabeel) a further half-length back in third.
The victory was a sixth in eight starts for the $130,000 Karaka Yearling Sale purchase, with five of those at stakes level, including the Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr 3, 1200m) at two and the James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at three.
“He’s a quality horse who sneaks under the radar a little at home as he doesn’t put a lot of enthusiasm into his work,” Richards said.
“He ran last at the Pukekohe trials the other day, but that’s just him and he turns up on raceday.”
The gelding will likely head to the Wellington Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m) on Oaks Day, where the trainer is likely to field a strong line up.
“He will go to the Wellington Guineas in a fortnight,” added Richards. “Cornflower Blue will be there with him and I thought she went nicely first up.
“We could actually have four in that race as we might also have Brando and Kahma Lass, who have come back from Australia, there as well.”
Need I Say More is the first foal out of Fastnet Rock mare Bo Bardi, who has an Impending (Lonhro) filly at foot and is now in foal to Too Darn Hot (Dubawi).