Fastnet Rock (AUS)

The Group II MRC Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday had not been won by a filly since 1991 when Triscay beat the colts, but this year it was a fillies renewal with promising up and comer Parure (3f Fastnet Rock x Fontein Ruby, by Turffontein) beating another talented filly in Butter Chicken.

The Lindsay Park training team have already won the Group I VRC Oaks this season with Fastnet Rock filly Personal and now they have another filly by the same sire with autumn Oaks aspirations.

Allowed to progress quietly through the lesser grades, Parure won her last start easily at Sandown over 1600m and relished the step out to 1800m for this tougher assignment against colts and geldings.

Well ridden by Damian Lane, she travelled comfortably back in the field and surged into contention rounding the turn to hit the front with a furlong to run.

Challenged late by Butter Chicken she stuck to her guns to win by a long neck taking her overall record to three wins from seven starts with prizemoney topping $172,000.

“It was a ten out of ten ride for Damian Lane, he presented her at the top of the straight and she was strong to the line,” said co-trainer Ben Hayes.

“I don’t think 2000m will be an issue for her so maybe a race like the Vinery (G1 in Sydney over 2000m) and even the Oaks will be an option.

“She’s bred to get out to 2000m and probably a bit further.”

Parure was a $155,000 Inglis Premier purchase for James Bester Bloodstock from the Morning Rise Stud draft and runs for Coolmore and partners.

She is the second winner from Group II winning Turffontein mare Fontein Ruby, a half-sister to Group I winner The Mitigator from the family of dual Cox Plate winner Fields of Omagh.

Fontein Ruby produced a filly by Triple Crown hero Justify last spring.

Parure is the 168th stakes-winner worldwide for champion sire Fastnet Rock, who posted a trans-Tasman Group double on Saturday with Rocket Spade winning the Group II Avondale Guineas in New Zealand.

The Fastnet Rock x Galileo cross runs at 22% stakes-winners to runners and there was only one yearling to be offered at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale bred this way and she duly attracted keen competition before being knocked down for $800,000.

Consigned by Strawberry Hill Stud, she is a sister-in-blood to the 2020 Group I VRC Oaks winner Personal being by Fastnet Rock from the winning Galileo mare Dreams and Wishes, a full sister to stakes-winner Personify, the dam of Personal.

An elegant bay with Oaks filly written all over her, she was purchased by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock.

"You don’t see a lot of those fillies and she was probably the best filly in the sale, I thought,” Maher told ANZ Bloodstock News.

“She has got a beautiful attitude and she has a great physical, a pedigree and a healthy enough price tag to match. She’s out of a Galileo broodmare and we have Sneaky Five out of a staying-type mare and she has won over 1000 and 1100 metres, so she is just a nice horse and we are rapt to be able to get her.”

This filly is the fourth foal of her dam, but it’s the first mating to Fastnet Rock and interestingly Dreams and Wishes has gone back to Fastnet Rock in the two years since, so this filly must have pleased everyone at the stud.

After two sessions Fastnet Rock has had 11 yearlings sell at an average $416,818.