News

Electrifying Group One for Foxwedge

23rd Mar 2012

Top sprinting three-year-old colt Foxwedge was made to earn his maiden Group One against a world class field at Moonee Valley tonight, using his electrifying turn-of-foot to sweep past his rivals to victory in the MVRC William Reid Stakes (1200m).

Foxwedge ($925,000 2010 Easter, 3c Fastnet Rock-Forest Native) has been pitted against the best sprinters in Australia throughout his career and the striking colt put his best foot forward tonight under Nash Rawiller.

The son of Fastnet Rock settled behind last start Newmarket Handicap quinella Hay List and Buffering, which he was meeting 6kg and 2kg worse off respectively, before unleashing a devastating turn-of-foot to win tonight’s 1200m Group One weight-for-age event, skyrocketing his already considerable stud value.

“He’s got a tremendous turn-of-foot, he’s a colt that I’ve had such a big opinion of since day one when I rode him, and today was the first time since he ran second to Sepoy [in the Coolmore Stud Stakes in October] that he really knuckled down like that,” said Nash Rawiller after the win.

“Geez he’s a good colt, he’s got that real x-factor about him. Even tonight he thought it was a big game, but when we got out there in the race he switched on and I was confident a long way from home,” Rawiller added.

Bred and offered by Luskin Park Stud at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Foxwedge was purchased for $925,000 by bloodstock agents James Harron and Hubie De Burgh for Dr Edmund Bateman , whose other Easter buys include Group Two winner Satin Shoes and last Saturday’s Group Three ATC Skyline Stakes winner Ashokan.

Foxwedge is the sixth Group One winner by Fastnet Rock purchased from Easter, joining fellow Luskin Park sold filly Irish Lights, Singapore Patron’s Bowl winner Speed Baby, Australian Guineas winner Rock Classic, triple Group One winner Mosheen, plus recent Eliza Park Stud retiree Wanted, which was also a high priced yearling colt having sold for $900,000 at Easter in 2008.

Tonight’s Group One breakthrough was a much deserved result for trainer John O’Shea who had the four-time winner primed third-up from a spell.

“We went close in the spring, it was a matter of inches [behind Sepoy], we knew we could get revenge, we knew we could get it at Group One level,” John O’Shea’s stable manager Bryce Heys said after the win.

“He’s come here at weight-for-age against a genuine Group One field, it’s a credit to John, he’s given him the most fantastic preparation.

“I’m just delighted for Dr Bateman, Mrs Bateman and the whole Bateman family, they’ve put a lot into the game and to get a colt of this calibre and he’s justified a life after racing now.

“Everything is going to bode well for him when he retires to stud because he has that electric turn-of-foot against the good horses and he had it again tonight,” Bryce said.

A trip to Royal Ascot is now on the cards for Foxwedge, which with a liking to Flemington’s straight course puts him in good stead for the Group One King’s Stand Stakes (1000m), Diamond Jubilee (1200m) and/or Darley July Cup (1200m) in June and July, all legs of the Global Sprint Challenge.

Luskin Park Stud will offer Foxwedge’s yearling sister at next month’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 164

Foxwedge’s red hot sire Fastnet Rock will be extremely well represented with 50 yearlings at Easter in Sydney on April 10 to 12.

The 2012 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale catalogue is available online HERE or can be downloaded on the iPad through the Equineline Sales Catalog App HERE