Rooks Nest is SW3 for Maurice winning Saturday’s Gr3 Falcon Stakes (1400m) at Chukyo.
Ridden along early from the inside barrier, Rooks Nest made most of the running and stayed on strongly in the home straight to hold the challenge of last year’s Champion 2yo colt Grenadier Guards (Frankel) by a head with Mondreise (Daiwa Major) 2-1/2 lengths away in third.
It is the second win from five starts for the Northern Farm-bred Rooks Nest, 4×3 to Sunday Silence one of two winners out of Villa (Deep Impact).
The granddam Summitville (Grand Lodge) won the Gr3 May Hill Stakes at Doncaster at two and runner-up in the Gr1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket.
The third-dam Tina Heights (Shirley Heights) is a winning three-quarter sister to Listed-placed Tinashaan (Darshaan) and to Royal Cat (Royal Academy), the unraced dam of three stakes winners in Germany including Gr2 Goldene-Peitsche winner Raffelberger (Auenadler).
Japanese HOTY Maurice (Screen Hero) stands at Shadai Stallion Station in Japan and shuttled to Arrowfield Stud in Australia prior to COVID-19.