News
Rock Goes Down Inglis Road to G1 Glory
26th Sep 2009
Anthony Cummings made it Group 1 wins in successive weeks with Inglis graduates when Road To Rock scored an upset victory in today's G1 George Main Stakes at Randwick, completing an Easter stakes double for progeny of Encosta De Lago.
The Cummings trained Premier graduate Turffontein took out the Sir Supert Clarke Stakes last week and today it was an Easter discovery that landed the spoils.
Inglis graduates made up eight of the 10 runners in today's event, which is the premier Group 1 WFA mile contest run in Sydney each year and it was expected a son of dual Champion Sire Encosta De Lago would salute.
But while the multi millionaire Racing To Win failed to fire today, it was a less-heralded son of Coolmore's flagship stallion that took the spoils.
ROAD TO ROCK ($100,000 2006 Easter, 5h Encosta De Lago-Trewornan) had been competitive in some of the top G1 WFA events last season, but took the next step today in comfortably overhauling G1 Stradbroke winner Black Piranha and G1 Champagne Stakes winner Onemorenomore in an all-Inglis trifecta.
Road To Rock was prepared for sale by Willow Park Stud and the entire now looks extremely hard to beat in next week's Group 1 Epsom Handicap over the same course and distance.
He is the latest example of the outstanding horses that can be purchased for below the median out of the showpiece Easter Sale. Last Year's George Main (1600m) winner Mentality was also a $100,000 Easter purchase, while Racing To Win (winner in 2006) was a $40,000 Easter bargain.
Easter has now provided the last five winners of the George Main, with Mr Celebrity ($280,000) and Grand Armee ($150,000) the previous winners.
Anthony Cummings was denied an Easter stakes double when favoured Sister Madly was overhauled by beautifully-bred filly Little Surfer Girl in the Listed Reginald Allen Quality (1400m).
LITTLE SURFER GIRL ($1,500,000 2008 Easter, 3f Encosta De Lago-Special Harmony) was sold through the Coolmore Stud draft to Ingham Bloodstock.
Her win provided the Ingham-Chris Waller combination with Easter stakes winners in successive weeks, following last week's Listed Heritage Stakes win by Stryker.
Little Surfer Girl is from the multiple Group 1 winning Spinning World mare Special Harmony and looks destined to get over more ground as the season progresses.
Earlier, VIKING LEGEND ($165,000 2008 Premier, 3c Elvstroem-Innocent Baby) became the second stakes winner is as many days for his illustrious sire Elvstroem when taking the Listed Dulcify Quality (2000m).
He followed last night's G2 Bill Stutt Stakes winner Carrara and both colts were purchased out of the Melbourne Premier Sale, with Viking Legend being a Blue Gum Farm graduate.
