Progressive three-year-old Stop The Rock continued his climb through the grades when the Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained gelding ran out a solid winner of the Ken Cox Handicap (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
The hard-fought victory came under a typically patient Billy Egan ride as the son of El Roca advanced his career record to three wins from four starts.
A last start winner at Swan Hill, Stop The Rock came from midfield to narrowly defeat the favourite Shockletz and bring up an early double for the Payne stable after Buccleuch claimed the opening race.
“He’s just a lovely horse,” Michelle Payne said.
“He's a real sleeper, actually. All of his trials before he raced were pretty moderate and Patrick put the blinkers on for his first start and he won at good odds at Warrnambool.
“He just seems to step up to the mark on race day. He's just a lovely, progressive horse with a great group of owners in him.
“They're all out here today including Brendan Danaher and all the crew. It was a lovely ride by Billy too.”
Stop The Rock is likely to be seen back at Flemington for the A$200,000 Mahogany Challenge Final (2500m) at Flemington in a fortnight.
By Westbury Stud stallion El Roca, Stop The Rock is out of the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Shezablonde and stems from the family of Nothin’ Leica Dance.
Stop The Rock is a graduate of the hugely successful New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, purchased for $75,000 by Patrick Payne from the draft of Westbury Stud. – NZ Racing Desk
