Rising star Watch Me Rock unleashed a blistering turn of foot to seize an unlikely victory and announce himself as a serious contender for Perth Autumn carnival features in the Listed Grandstand Cup (1500m) at Ascot on Saturday.
It was the first taste of Black Type success for the patiently handled four year old son of Awesome Rock, who has only been out of the placings twice in his fourteen start career.
Punters rallied to Watch Me Rock despite a last start defeat in the Listed Bunbury Stakes and sent him to the post as a narrow favourite over his stablemate Fluro Neuro (Gingerbread Man) who was chasing a fourth straight win.
The two talented gallopers are part of the ever- formidable Grant and Alana Williams stable.
Everything panned out perfectly for both horses in the run with Watch Me Rock (Pike) and Fluro Neuro (C Johnston Porter) camped comfortably behind a good pace.
Turning for home the fancied pair commenced their moves and it was the easiest of watches for favourite backers, until suddenly it wasn't.
While Fluro Neuro charged unimpeded for the post Pike and Watch Me Rock, full of running, found themselves walled in with absolutely nowhere to go.
At the last possible moment a space appeared and the determined Watch Me Rock lifted brilliantly to hit the line and claim a gallant victory.
Bidding for the son of Awesome Rock fell just short of his 40,00k reserve when he was offered by his breeders, Ridgeport Holdings, at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions Yearling sale and he was retained by Ridgeport and placed in the expert Williams hands and did not race at two years.
Pati
ence is now reaping its reward and he has the overall record of seven wins and five placings from 14 starts with prizemoney topping $456,000.
“We haven't gotten to the bottom of him, he's still learning” said Alana after the race, while his jockey was at pains to point out a legitimate excuse for the last start Bunbury Stakes defeat.
“He liked it better on top of the ground today. The track down there (Bunbury) was a bit sticky for him” he said.
Relieved to come away with the win despite striking serious trouble, Pike was full of praise for Watch Me Rock, saying “he still does it so easy on the line”.
Watch Me Rock becomes the seventh stakes-winner for his sire Awesome Rock.
A superb physical specimen and one of the best credentialled stallions to ever stand in Western Australia, the Group One WFA Mackinnon Stakes winning son of the incomparable Fastnet Rock has had a decided impact on the local breeding scene since taking up stud duties in 2017 for highly successful breeding operation Gold Front Thoroughbreds.
Awesome Rock is proving a particularly effective sire of Classic performers, but his progeny also have plenty of speed.
Interestingly his very quick stakes-placed son Diamond Blue and talented full brother Our Rocky Bay, (recently a dual Ascot winner) are out of a precocious winning daughter of a full sister to the much missed sire Thorn Park.
This suggests a potent nick may be emerging for Awesome Rock.
Watch Me Rock's dam What Choux Want was a fast, G2 placed daughter of Thorn Park's champion son Jimmy Choux.
Imported into Australia in her three year old year she continued her racing career in Melbourne then in Western Australia, but failed to reproduce her earlier form, her best result a third placing at Ascot before going to stud.
A precocious winning juvenile who matured into a NZ Derby winner and Cox Plate runner up, cult hero “Jimmy” never reproduced his own greatness but was a good sire in NZ before - like his daughter What Choux Want - he eventually found his way to WA to take up stud duties at Rosalee Park Stud in Serpentine, where he sadly passed away last year.
Just beginning what looks to be a successful breeding career, What Choux Want's only other named foal to date is the Rommel filly Wotugot, runner up in the 2024 WATC Magic Millions 2YO Plate.
Second dam Bankside Belle (Volksraad) was another precocious juvenile and stakes-placed winner of 8 races in NZ. At stud she has produced the top class Group Two winning filly Belle Du Nord (Reliable Man).
Bankside Belle is a half sister to stakes placed staying filly Carlotta (Ekraar) and a full sister to tough galloper My Choice, a blacktype winning sprinter in Hong Kong.
Showing their faith in this family, Ridgeport Holdings paid $120k to secure Bankside Belle's 2023 colt by Hello Youmzain out of Karaka’s Book One in January.
Awesome Rock stands at Gold Front Thoroughbreds on a fee of $8,800.
