Consistent mare Zaza Rock completed a hat-trick at Pinjarra on Saturday and there was a bevy of Belhus Racing supporters to welcome her back to scale after the Barragup Self Storage Hcp (2200m).
Zaza Rock is by Gold Front Thoroughbreds stallion Awesome Rock and was a $22,500 buy from its consignment to the 2021 Perth Magic Millions. She’s paid that back in spades with earnings now approaching $300,000 and her connections will want to keep the rising 6yo mare in training next season.
The hat-trick arrived after victories at Ascot and Belmont in May and she did best in a two-horse war with short-priced favourite Western Power (Iffraaj) at Pinjarra. “I love in-form mares and she was rated perfectly by Lucy (Fiore),” co-trainer Grant Williams said. “She doing a great job for the owners and now we will have to think about a trip to Kal.”
Zaza Rock (5m Awesome Rock – Zadar Miss by Husson) is a full-sister to Jim Taylor’s 2022 Apprentices Cup (2100m) winner Zadar Rock and she commenced this season with a comfortable victory in the in the Toodyay Cup (1850m).
This year’s LR Kalgoorlie Cup (2300m) is worth $150,000 on Saturday, October 4 which puts any thoughts of her going to stud on hold for twelve months.
Searchin’ Roc’s is another Awesome Rock mare and she has been retired following a back-half finish in the G3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m) at Pinjarra on Saturday. She bows out following a million-dollar career underlined by Group 3 victories in the 2021 Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m) and 2022 R J Peters Stakes (1500m).
“She’s as good as gold and retires happy and sound,” trainer Sharon Taylor reported on Monday. “She’s here at Hopelands and will be sold later this month.”
Taylor’s parents Robert and Heather Grant bred Searchin’ Roc’s and have decided to enter her for the next Inglis Online Sale between June 20 and 25. “We’ve had an amazing ride and it would be nice if she stayed in Western Australia,” Taylor continued. “It was a hard decision but Mum and Dad don’t have the resources to look after her properly.
“We were thinking of another tilt at the (G1) Railway Stakes and (G3) Gold Rush later this year but the time is right to call it a day.”
A suitable stallion for Zaza Rock next year and for Searchin’ Roc’s, if she stays in WA, has come into focus with recent headlines highlighting the red-hot Capitalist cross with Fastnet Rock mares.
Capitalist stands at Newgate Farm in the Hunter Valley and his only son in WA is Marine One who will be covering his third book for a $7,000 (inc GST) fee at Mogumber Park this year. Marine One won to Group 2 level in the Rubiton Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield beating Oxley Road (Exceed And Excel) who covered his initial book at Blue Gum Farm in Victoria last year.
Gold Front owners Alan and Sue Olive sent their Fastnet Rock mare Rocksan to Marine One last year. She won at Mornington and the Gold Coast and has a PPT to him off a cover in November.
Awesome Rock is one of 45 Group 1 winners by Fastnet Rock and remains his only son in WA at a service fee of $7,925 (inc GST). Fastnet Rock was Champion Australian Sire in 2011-12 and 2014-15 and also Champion Australian Broodmare Sire in 2023-24.
“People are starting to work out what sort of mare to breed to Capitalist,” Newgate Farm principal Henry Field said last month. “Fastnet Rock mares are incredible crossed with him. Like his 3yo colt Reserve Bank in the (G1) Goodwood last month and his 2yo filly Memo in the (G3) Magic Night in March.”
Segenhoe Stud’s Peter O’Brien, who is Amelia Park’s trusted confidante in the Hunter Valley, remembers speaking to Reserve Bank’s trainer Mick Price before he bought the colt at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale. “We were both saying how good that cross works,” O’Brien relayed.
“Reserve Bank was as good looking a horse as you will ever see and we’ve stuck religiously with Capitalist over mares by Fastnet Rock. That cross is off the charts!”