Awesome Rock gelding Zadar Rock completed a winning hat-trick in the Pilbara on Saturday with another convincing victory in the $50,000 Roebourne Cup (2200m) for managing part-owner and trainer Dean Cocivera.
It was the second country cup in as many days for the Gold Front stallion after Striking Fella’s victory in the Cable Beach Caravan Park Cup (1780m) at Broome on Friday.
Zadar Rock’s last-to-first victory over stablemate Acermetric (Blackfriars) at Roebourne sent his earnings through $300,000 including Westspeed Bonuses of $85,000. A winner of the 2022 Apprentices Cup (2100m) at Ascot, he travelled north for the first time last year for prep-best second to Awesome Chatter (Awesome Rock) in the Port Hedland Cup (2100m).
Zadar Rock hasn’t put a hoof wrong this time around for 3kg apprentice Bailey Webster and experienced hoop Michael Heagney. “It was another ripper day for Team Cochie,” Dean Cocivera’s admin assistant Eliza Jane posted. “All the horses are in tip-top order and well done Zadar Rock. Keep it up big fella.”
Zadar Rock (6g Awesome Rock – Zadar Miss by Husson) was bred and sold by Gold Front Thoroughbred Breeding & Racing owners Alan and Sue Olive for $36,000 at the 2020 Perth Magic Millions.
He’s a full-brother to consistent mare Zaza Rock who won last year’s Toodyay Cup (1850m) and returned this prep to complete an Ascot, Belmont, Pinjarra hat-trick last month. She races for a Belhus Racing syndicate who have their sights on more silverware in the LR Kalgoorlie Cup (2300m) on Saturday, October 4.
Speaking of Belhus Racing, their Awesome Rock 4yo Be Awesome is also on a hat-trick for trainer Steph Bakranich on the back of a Pinjarra double this month. And Be Awesome is bred on the same Awesome Rock – Zabeel cross as Striking Fella.
Striking Fella won the Cable Beach Caravan Park Cup (1780m) at Broome on Friday to complete a country cups treble this year for his trainer Peter Bamford following the Pingrup Cup (1660m) and Dongara Cup (1850m)
“Up here you mix with a good bunch of people, faces you’ve known all your life,” Bamford said after winning the 2019 Roebourne Cup (2200m) with Swift Platinum (Oratorio). “It’s relaxed, camp-style living with plenty of banter and we all get on good.
“Nothing is ever allowed to go to your head, that’s for sure.”
Awesome Rock (Fastnet Rock) stands for a service fee of $7,975 (inc GST) at Gold Front. For bookings or further details, call Sue Olive (0417 937 606) or Naomi Montuolo (0400 738 964).