Rothesay climaxed his winter campaign with a brilliant win in the G2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.  He was coming off a G3 victory in the Lord Mayor’s Cup last month and trainer Gerald Ryan has a Group 1 in his sights for the Fastnet Rock colt.

“He is the best horse I’ve trained,” Ryan said.  “From the first time I let him run I knew he was a good one.  Snitzel used to run sensational times on the track and this bloke is the only horse I’ve had since who gets anywhere near that.”

Rothesay (3c Fastnet Rock – Schiaparelli by Woodman) was offered for sale by Philippa Duncan Bloodstock at the 2008 Inglis Easter yearling sale but was passed in when bidding failed to reach a $150,000 reserve.  He was retained to race by breeder Sue Suduk who died after a long illness shortly before the winter carnival.

Rothesay started an odds-on favourite in the Guineas and lengthened like a top quality galloper to beat Launay by more than three lengths.  It extended his record to four wins from seven starts.

He is one of 10 stakes winners for Coolmore’s new marquee sire Fastnet Rock.  The Coolmore shuttler has now sired 75 winners at a 52% strike-rate and is on course to break the 100 barrier quicker than any other Australian sire in history.  

Rothesay is out of a Woodman mare as is last month’s G3 BTC Classic winner Stryker.  The latter was runner-up to Rothesay when he won on debut at Rosehill in July 2009.

His dam Schiaparelli has a 2yo filly named La Parisienne (Commands), a yearling filly by Fastnet Rock, a filly foal by Redoute’s Choice and she was covered by Al Maher last year.   Second dam Canny Lass (Bletchingly) was a G1 winner of the MVRC William Reid Stakes, VATC Marlboro Cup and Elders Mile.  She is a sister to Darley’s G1 winning racehorse and sire Canny Lad.

Rothesay will have a month’s break and then get ready for the spring carnival in Melbourne.  “He might be at Royal Ascot in 12 months time,” Ryan predicted.   “I would love to take him over there.”