The
foundation sire at Three Bridges Thoroughbreds, Stryker has had a great season
siring the Group I New Zealand Derby winner Rangipo and some 34 Australian winners,
but the son of Fastnet Rock broke new ground on Sunday when siring his first
winner in Singapore.
Three year-old gelding Rock Eagle broke through at his third start, scoring by
more than a length over 1400 metres with Vlad Duric in the saddle.
"We hit the front too soon. He was very green all the way up the straight and
was having a look around," said Duric.
"I was very concerned another horse would come from behind and get us. I had to
really get into him in the last furlong, and luckily, he stuck it out and won a
nice race in the end."
A $50,000 NZB Select Yearling Sale purchase for Tony Pike Racing from the
Bradbury Park draft, Rock Eagle was a successful pinhook having been bought for
$21,000 from the Three Bridges draft at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling
Sale.
"He's still very green, which you could see when he hit the front," said rock
Eagle's trainer Steven Burridge.
"He'll be a better horse next year. Today, he had a good draw and raced handy,
but looking at the way he finished, he is looking for more ground."
Bred by Three Bridges and Richard Pegum, Rock Eagle is the fourth winner from
Waverley Express, a half-sister to the dam of New Zealand Derby winner Rosyn.
Stryker stands this spring at a fee of $11,000.
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