Champion 3YO El Roca has been retired to stand at Gerry Harvey’s Westbury Stud in New Zealand.
He was raised and prepared for sale at the Karaka nursery and made $120,000 at the 2012 NZB Premier yearling sale. Fastnet Rock sired him from Rubimill (Rubiton), an unraced sister to G3 Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Millrich who foaled successful Victorian stallion Danerich.
El Roca’s trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young were quick to recognise the horse’s ability after a winning debut over 1000m at Taupo. The following month he was pitted against Australia’s best spring three-year-olds in the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude and gave them a big fright when going down narrowly to Éclair Big Bang.
Backing up in the stallion-making G1 Caulfield Guineas, he had no luck being severely hampered over the last 400m and doing exceptionally well to finish fifth to Long John, Divine Calling, Shamus Award and Dissident.
El Roca was given a brief spell and crossed the Tasman again in the autumn to win the LR Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill. He followed up with a close second against all ages in the G3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Warwick Farm.
While the timing wasn’t ideal for El Roca, he made the back-up a week later in the G1 Randwick Guineas and was game in defeat after a desperate duel with Dissident.
Back against older horses in the G1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill, he hit the front with Speediness and they looked set to fight out the finish until international raider Gordon Lord Byron railed up to nail victory on the line – El Roca finishing a close third and was beaten by no more than a length.
El Roca headed the NZ 3YO Free Hcp (1200m – 1600m) with 60kg and was rated above Group 1 winners Bounding, Atlante, Recite, Puccini, Costa Viva, Lucia Valentina, Rising Romance, & Ruud Awakening.
Injuries curtailed his career as a four year-old this season and he was snapped up for stud duties after just 12 starts. A strapping 16.2hh bay, El Roca will stand for a of $7,500 (plus gst) service fee.
EL ROCA