NSW
breeding giant Gooree Park Stud has shown its support for the strength of the
Victorian breeding scene by electing to standing its well performed and
impeccably-bred colt ROCK STURDY at Stockwell Thoroughbreds, Diggers Rest.
A Group II winner and Group I placegetter, ROCK STURDY, is a son of the all-
conquering Fastnet Rock, from the quality Quest For Fame mare Tzu Hsi, a five
time winning half-sister to the smart stakes winners Swift Alliance and Sultry
Feeling.
ROCK STURDY becomes the foundation stallion for the re-branded STOCKWELL THOROUGHBREDS,
formerly Emirates Park Stud, recently taken over by Mike and Brodie Becker.
"We had not intended to stand at stallion this season but this horse has so
much going for him, in our opinion, that it was not a hard decision to make,"
said Mike Becker.
"He is by a pre-eminent sire who has made a nice start as a sire of sires, but
equally importantly, is closely related to some very smart stakes horses.
"However, the real clincher for me was the fact that he descends from a proven
stallion family. He comes from the immediate family of the great Cozzene, a
champion US turf miler and subsequently a Champion US sire.
"He is a neat looking horse who overcame setbacks in his career to prove
himself at Group level. He did not race at two due to injury and then had some
ongoing issues which limited his career but not before he proved to be a very
capable sprinter-miler."
Becker said a long term association with Gooree Park through the stallion Artie
Schiller had led to ROCK STURDY being offered to Stockwell Thoroughbreds.
"Gooree's manager Andrew Baddock mentioned the horse to my son Mathew, of Group
1 Bloodstock, and Mathew agreed with me that he would be a very nice horse to
launch the new business with," Becker said.
"We are delighted to be in partnership with such prominent breeders as Gooree –
their record of breeding quality horses is well known, as is their ability to
produce and support a stallion, having owned Northern Meteor and now
represented by young stallions such as Smart Missile and Your Song."
ROCK STURDY is available for inspection and will stand his first season at
$7700, including GST.