The top-priced yearling of the 2012 NZ Bloodstock yearling sale won on debut at Te Rapa on Wednesday.

King’s Rock is a three-quarter brother to the 2011 NZB Filly of the Year King’s Rose (Redoute’s Choice) and was purchased by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis for $1.75 million at Karaka last year.

Ridden by leading jockey Matthew Cameron, the son of champion sire Fastnet Rock had to overcome a lack of experience and the widest barrier in a capacity field to score by a head in the Dunstan Dave Maiden (1400m).

“We know Te Rapa is not an easy place to come from well back but he drew the outside and we didn’t want to hustle him,” trainer Jason Bridgman said.  “It was a very good effort to quicken up and finish so strongly.

“He is a lovely big colt and has taken a little bit of time to get the strength to match his frame.  He wasn’t really strong enough to race at two, but since he has wintered the strength is there and since his first trial this preparation he has really turned the corner and kept on improving.  He is a really progressive type and what he’s doing now is just on raw talent.

“He was a beautiful yearling, David Ellis had him marked down as the colt of the sale.  Hopefully he can go on and fulfil that promise and become a sire prospect.

“I think he is a horse that has good stamina about him as well but he quickened up nice enough today to show that he could be a top-class colt at a miler as well.  We will take it race by race and then cement plans but at the moment we have 2000 Guineas in the back of our minds.”

King’s Rock (3c Fastnet Rock – Nureyev’s Girl by Nureyev) was bred by Standard 2080 Ltd and is from a half-sister to three stakes winners.  He was sold at Karaka by Cambridge Stud.