Fastnet Rock Sires NZ Derby Winner Second Year in a Row

Coolmore's stalwart stallion Fastnet Rock sired the winner of the Vodafone New Zealand Derby (G1) for a second consecutive year, as Rocket Spade ensured the classic was won by an Australian-bred 3-year-old for the third year in succession.

Winner of the AJC Avondale Guineas (G2) a fortnight earlier, the Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained colt was sent off favorite and emerged victorious in what was a thrilling finish to the race, with Milford a head second, and Frontman 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 traveling at the rear of the field rounding the turn, while Milford and Frontman took the wide berth, cornering in the center 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 center 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 and again in 1993 with Popsy 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, 10-out-of-10 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 colors of the Eugene Chuang-owned Hermitage Thoroughbreds, Rocket Spade was purchased for AU$425,000 (US$302,728) 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 in last year's edition of the New Zealand 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 winning in 2019 after being purchased out of the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for AU$50,000 ($38,360) in 2017.

Rocket Spade is out of the stakes-placed Affairoftheheart (by Fusaichi Pegasus), a winner of six races, and half sister to dual group 1-winning filly in New Zealand Soriano and group 3 winner Kaiser Franz. Soriano has a Snitzel filly cataloged for April's Inglis Easter sale under the Yulong draft (Lot 95).

He is the second winner out of Affairoftheheart, whose 2-year-colt by Snitzel trialed for the first time at Rosehill March 4 for Matthew Dunn, finishing second. The mare is resident at Sun Stud in Victoria and missed to National Defense in 2019, but is currently in foal to the stallion.