Far from finished
The older brigade knows that time is unstoppable and not just for we humans. Thoroughbreds are not immune and Waikato Stud’s Ocean Park (Thorn Park) will soon turn 17. That doesn’t mean he’s finished, far from it, but it does mean that he is finding that the competition is getting ahead of him.
The stallion sired his 23rd individual stakes winner when Arcadia Park held on gamely in Saturday’s Aquanita Stakes (Listed, 2019m), the race transferred to Bunbury while Perth’s Belmont racetrack is being repaired.
The gelding was not tried at two and made his debut on the first day of the current racing season last spring, finishing second at Pinjarra. Into town for start two he was third before a Belmont breakthrough over 1400 metres. Two further spring starts were not as encouraging. A decent spell saw him resume for a fourth at Pinjarra then finish a close second at the same track. His last two runs, back-to-back wins, were achieved in game style, Saturday’s victory taking place at start nine.
Arcadia Park has something to live up to. His dam, Arcadia Dream (Domesday) enjoys the distinction of defeating the boys in the 2016 Western Australian Derby (Gr 2, 2400m). Like her son, she also won the Aquanita Stakes plus the Natasha Stakes (Listed, 1800m), three of her five wins.
However, Arcadia Dream’s half-sister, Arcadia Queen (Pierro) is the standout in this family. The triple Group 1 winner took Perth’s racing scene by storm in the spring/summer of 2018. She won five of her six starts culminating with a four and half length win in the Kingston Town Classic (Gr 1, 1800m).
Transferred to Chris Waller’s stable for two highly lucrative races, fresh up at four she added the Theo Marks Stakes (Gr 2, 1300m) but found The Everest (1200m) too short before a fair fifth in the Golden Eagle (1500m).
As a spring five-year-old she needed four runs to return to the winner’s enclosure when scoring in the Caulfield Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) followed by a fifth in the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m). The Mackinnon Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), in which she was too good, would prove to not only be her last win but also her second to last start. Her final race, start 16, was a second in the Futurity Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m). Retired with eight wins and a shade less than $4 million in earnings, Arcadia Queen was sold at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Broodmare Sale for $3.2 million to Arrowfield Stud.
The family doesn’t stop there. Arcadia Queen and Arcadia Dream are two of four stakes winners from Arcadia (Redoute’s Choice), herself a sister to Broadway Belle, dam of Arcadia Queen’s three-quarter brother Regal Power (Pierro), the $4.77 million earner and Group 1 winner of the Railway Stakes (1600m) and the rich All Star Mile (1600m).
Ocean Park’s second crop is his best. From it emerged four-time Group 1 winner Tofane and three-time Group 1 winner Kolding. His first two crops produced seven individual stakes winners apiece. For 2025 Ocean Park’s fee has been set at $15,000 (plus GST). For a stallion with a strike rate of 59 per cent winners to runners and 47 stakes performers, he remains worthy of serious consideration by broodmare owners.
Western Australian breeder Bob Peters, who bred all the “Arcadias” mentioned above, seems to be convinced. Arcadia Dream has visited Ocean Park the last seven successive seasons. The combination is two from two and the mare has three more Ocean Park foals which are yet to race.
No stopping
Two years younger than Ocean Park yet with fewer opportunities is Westbury Stud’s El Eoca (Fastnet Rock) whose Stop The Rock is putting together a more than promising record, a record which has been undertaken with much patience.
Stop The Rock trialled seven times before facing the starter on raceday. Five of those were as a two-year-old and did not reveal a lot but his debut at Warrnambool last New Year’s eve was achieved with some efficiency, even though the public were somewhat surprised by a win at any old odds. His return after that one start was two months ago at Cranbourne resulting in an okay fifth but since then the gelding is undefeated in three further starts, the last two at metropolitan level.
His Flemington win over 2000 metres last month had him finishing strongly from well back in the field and Saturday’s victory, also over 2000 metres at Caulfield, was similar. He shared last a fair way before they straightened and was widest but one at the top of the straight. He takes a while to hit top gear but you have to like his attitude as he knuckles down and keeps grinding away to get to the lead when needed. He’s not flashy but gets the job done in workmanlike fashion. The Kiwis dominated the race, the Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap, by providing the first four home.
Sourced from the 2023 NZB Ready to Run Sale for $75,000, Stop The Rock is the third winner from five to race from Shezablonde (Fusaichi Pegasus), a daughter of Listed–placed She’s A Pretender (Danehill), a sister to Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) and Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Nothin’ Leica Dane (Danehill).
Stop The Rock is from the sixth of seven crops by El Roca, a Rosehill Listed winner who was twice Group 1–placed in Sydney. He was lightly raced, winning three of his 12 starts and more than $400,000. His fee this season has been set at $10,000 (plus GST). His winners to runners ratio is 62 per cent and he has sired 24 stakes performers including ten individual stakes winners.
Stopped
Another Fastnet Rock (Danehill) son whose sire opportunities have all but ceased is Mongolian Falcon, sire of Randwick Benchmark 78 winner Aberlour. She was transferred to Joe Pride’s stable early last year as a result of her good South Island form. Her first six starts brought three successive wins including back-to-back Listed wins, namely the Gore Guineas (1335m) and the Southland Guineas (1600m) in which she bolted in by more than five lengths. At that point her New Zealand career came to an end.
It has taken nine further starts to return to winning form and Saturday’s all-the-way win was achieved in the same manner as her New Zealand form. She likes to be in front but getting settled in the lead is her problem.
Alysha Collett did manage to get her to cruise comfortably this time and the mare had something up her sleeve half way down the straight, just enough to hold on grimly at the line. Could it be the female touch? Female riders Jasmine Fawcett and Kylie Williams were aboard for her New Zealand Listed wins and Alysha Collett was having just her second ride and had partnered the mare when winning a trial.
Mongolian Falcon’s best winning performance was the Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m). He defeated Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Jon Snow (Iffraaj) that day. At the same age he was second in the James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) to New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Ugo Foscolo (Zacinto). In nine starts, Mongolian Falcon won three and placed four times. That ability attracted 78 mares in his first season at stud. Numbers have fallen dramatically since. Just two mares visited the stallion last spring.
Aberlour’s dam, Sophie Louise (Postponed), was purchased from the Select Session of the 2011 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale for $7000. She ranks as a three-quarter sister to Easter Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Pasta Post (Postponed) who had also succeeded in the City of Auckland Cup (Gr 3, 2400m).
Improving with time
He has a way to go to recoup his $450,000 price tag from the 2023 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1) but Noble Decree (Per Incanto) is proving, like many by Per Incanto (Street Cry), that he is improving with time.
His four runs late last year brought three second placings but this preparation has resulted in three wins in five starts, the last two, each good wins at Doomben. He puts himself in the race and is strong in the run home. In Saturday’s three-year-old 1350-metre open handicap he was in a spot of bother soon after straightening and was squeezed from the 300 metres. He held his ground and when the lane opened up he drove through and was convincing at the wire.
His dam, Avondale Cup (Gr 1, 2200m) winner Sharvasti (Montjeu), was a lightly raced winner of four and twice placed at Group 1 level. She has produced six winners from eight to race but Noble Decree looks to be the best so far. Sharvasti is a half-sister to Bhandara (Zabeel) a dual Group 3 winner in New Zealand and successful at Listed level in Sydney. Another half-relation is Group 1-placed Shastri (Stravinsky), winner of the Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr 3, 1400m).