Rocket Spade is the 41st Gr1 winner for Fastnet Rock winning Sunday’s New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie.
Overnight rain made for testing conditions at Ellerslie but it did not deter Rocket Spade who stayed on strongly after coming with his challenge up the centre of the straight to edge Milford and Frontman in a driving finish with half a length covering the first three.
Winner of the Gr2 Avondale Guineas at his previous start, Rocket Spade is now the winner of four of his eight starts for Hong Kong-based Hermitage Thoroughbreds after selling for A$425,000 as a yearling at the Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale from the draft of Tyreel Stud.
He is the third Group winner winner for Fastnet Rock (Danehill) out of a mare by Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr Prospector) after Catchy and Albany Reunion from 44 runners with seven stakes performers.
The Gr.1 winner was advertised at $165,000 at Coolmore in New South Wales last year.
Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr Prospector) is the broodmare sire of Gr.1 winner Capitalist, sire of Sunday’s Gr.3 Black Opal Stakes winner Kalashnikov with a duplication of Danehill, as well as Australian Gr.2 winner Summer Sham, by Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice).
Inbred 3×4 to Danzig, Rocket Spade is one of two winners out of Affairoftheheart (Fusaichi Pegasus), a winner of six races up to ten and a half furlongs in New Zealand, finishing second in the LR Karaka Classic at Counties.
Affairoftheheart is a half-sister to Gr1 Zabeel Classic and Herbie Dyke Stakes winner Soriano (Savabeel) and to the Gr3 Premier’s Cup in Brisbane winner Kaiser Franz (Savabeel).
The granddam Call Me Lily (Just A Dancer) won eight times in Australia including the LR Wagga Gold Cup. and the third-dam Colero (Brazen Bay) is a half-sister to Gr2 Dulcie Stakes at Cambridge winner Kiss (Pompeii Court).