Champion Sunspeed sire Blackfriars blooded a bona fide WA Derby candidate in the LR Challenge Stakes (1500m) at Ascot on Saturday.

His Bunbury based gelding Full Reign didn’t break stride jumping from a home-town maiden to stakes company in town.

Full Reign (3g Blackfriars – Stop In Time by Tenby) led home a Blackfriars quinella with a powerful three-quarter length victory over promising filly Pop Culture.  It was a valuable stepping-stone that connections hope will lead to a successful classic campaign.

Trainer Peter Giadresco bought him for Sophie Madrigali at the 2010 Perth Magic Millions.  Offered by Durham Lodge, he was a veritable value buy at $45,000 and is now on track for the WATC Derby (2400m) in April.

“It was a terrific win,” Madrigali said.  “We gave him a good each way chance despite going up a lot in grade.  We’re definitely looking at the Derby.”

Full Reign’s yearling brother was purchased by Craig Thompson’s Mt Hallowell Stud for $95,000 at the Perth Magic Millions last Tuesday.  Blackfriars has also sired their close stakes winning relations Exquisite Timing (Aquanita Stakes) and Impact Rating (Aquanita Stakes).

Highly-touted Blackfriars colt Rohan was backed with confidence to win the Challenge but he didn’t emerge from the ruck to run ninth.  He had also won a Bunbury maiden in January and followed up with a tip-top fourth in the Magic Millions 3YO Trophy.

Rohan (3c Blackfriars – Voltage Pak by Carry A Smile) is trained by Vaughan Sigley and he will assess the below-par performance before a decision is made on his immediate future.  It might by premature to pan the colt on the strength of just one bad run.

Blackfriars stands at Durham Lodge and his younger brother to Rohan made $130,000 at Perth’s Premier Session of the Magic Millions.  He also topped the Select Session with a colt from Crossed Wires that Durham sold to Neville Parnham for $110,000.

The Parnham trained brothers Playing God and God Has Spoken were instrumental in helping Blackfriars claim the 2010-11 WA sires’ premiership.  He will capture a second title by an even bigger margin if Playing God wins the $1 million G1 Australian Cup at Flemington on March 10.