With two recent runs under her belt, Exceed and Excel filly Rocklily had good race fitness on her side and relished the heavy track at Randwick on Wednesday to lead all the way and break her maiden in style.
Trained by Matt Dunn, Rocklily made light work of the conditions and skipped away off the turn for Jason Collett to win the 1300m maiden by nearly two lengths from promising Hinchinbrook gelding Dufresne, who ran a great race on debut.
Rocklily holds an entry for the Group I MRC Thousand Guineas, but the Group I ATC Flight Stakes may be a more immediate goal.
“We’ve always had a decent wrap for her and she’s shown plenty of talent,” said Matt Dunn.
“She‘s in work for the Flight Stakes and we’ll find out in the next few starts if she’s good enough to get there. She’s shown today she can do it at both ends, although I think ridden with cover she might be even better.”
A $200,000 Magic Millions purchase for Matthew Dunn/Neil Jenkinson, Rocklily was bred and sold by Yulong and has a pedigree that would suggest a mile should be within her scope.
She is the first winner for Rockzel, a half-sister by Zabeel to Group III winner Platinum Command from the family of Group I winners Danelagh, Vengeance of Rain and Oaks winners Dizelle and Pinot.
Yulong sold a Pierro colt from Rockzel at Magic Millions this year for $260,000 to Star Thoroughbreds/Randwick Bloodstock Agency P/L and she has a yearling colt by Exceed and Excel.
