Wanted Filly Makes Winning Debut

Mark Smith - Friday January 1

With favourite Sword Of Light a late scratching, it was left to her stablemate Want To Rock to welcome the New Year in for trainers Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra in the New Year Plate (1000m) at Flemington.

Making her career debut, the Hollylodge homebred daughter of Wanted raced up on the pace for Katelyn Mallyon but no sooner had she hit the front she came under attack from another first starter in La Renarde with Damien Oliver on board.

In a driving finish Want To Rock held the challenge of La Renarde by half a neck to deny Foxwedge his first winner.

The Peter Moody-trained Gimlet, a daughter of another first season sire Dream Ahead (GB) battled on strongly to be two and a quarter lengths back in third. (photo Grant Courtney).

"We put her in a jumpout here the other day and she went well. I thought she was a good filly and I thought her trials were good without pushing her," Zahra said.

"We've never let her head go in any of her trials and she's done everything right."

"We'll see how she pulls up because she's got a fair bit of talent there and obviously the second horse has too," he said.

"She's earned her way for a crack at the better races but it depends on how her shins and joints and everything else are when she pulls up."

Want To Rock is the first live foal of the former smart racemare Rock The Moment.

A daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE), Rock The Moment was a $160,000 yearling purchase for Slade Bloodstock. She went on to win seven times including the Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes at Launceston at two.

From the famous Social Smile (GB) family nurtured by Lomar Park Stud's Fred Peisah, Rock The Moment is out of the Group II Reisling Slipper winner and Group 1 Winfield Classic runner-up Moment's Pleasure (Archregent).

Sent to the 2001 Magic Millions National Broodmare sale, Rock The Moment was purchased for $100,000 by Hollylodge Thoroughbreds owners Christine and Peter Mills.

Want To Rock is her first live foal and her second, a daughter of the champion So You Think, is catalogued for the Inglis Premier Yearling sale.

Wanted will be strongly represented at that sale with 10 catalogued. The son of Fastnet Rock has three entries for the Inglis Classic Summer sale and four for the upcoming Magic Millions Yearling sale.

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