Awesome Rock has a half-dozen yearlings entered for the Perth Magic Millions from Gold Front Thoroughbreds and they received an international update on Wednesday evening when his expat Awesome Fluke broke the track record for 1650m at Happy Valley.
Awesome Fluke (6g Awesome Rock – Jayquin Star by O’Reilly) clocked 1.37.74s to score an on-pace victory in the Shan Kwong Hcp (1650m) for Ricky Yiu and Andrea Atzeni. It shaved 0.16 seconds off the previous mark set by Woodfire Bro (NZ) in 2024.
The off-shore result continued the great domestic run for Awesome Rock this season following the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) victory by Watch Me Rock on Day 2 of the Ascot Pinnacles.
Awesome Fluke (Photo / SCMP) had won the G2 WA Derby (2400m) in 2023 racing as Awesome John and has now earned the equivalent of AUD1.34 million in Hong Kong. “The light weight (53kg) helped and he has stayed fit, right from the beginning of the season, until now,” Yiu said.
“Andrea knows him well and made the right move to take over at the 600m. That’s the key with him. You have to get going early and get that momentum because he can stay all day.”
Awesome Fluke was bred by Gold Front owners Alan and Sue Olive and they’ve entered five fillies and one colt by Awesome Rock for the Perth Magic Millions. The colt (Lot 72) is from Fine Approach (New Approach) who won six city sprints in Adelaide and the best of her four winners from four to race is black-type stayer Seven Iron (Awesome Rock).
“He’s lovely type and it’s a very successful family,” Sue said this week. “He also ticks all the boxes as a physical as a big, scopey colt.”
The Awesome Rock filly out of Zoushine (Lot 115) is the first foal from the mare who was a $375,000 buy for the Olives through Belmont Bloodstock at the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Zoushine completed a 2yo hat-trick at Moonee Valley before winning at Group 3 level for trainer Tony McEvoy. “Mum has thrown a good one first up,” Sue added. “She’s a bit smaller than the standard Awesome Rock but she’s a lovely natured filly with a body-shape that’s picture perfect.”
Photo / Awesome Rock filly out of Zoushine (Lot 115)
The Gold Front consignment of 16 yearlings to the Swan Valley Sale also includes the first-crop of WA based sires Aysar (Deep Field), Marine One (Capitalist) and Lightsaber (Zoustar) plus colts by interstate stallions State Of Rest (Ire), Pierata and St Mark’s Basilica (Fr).
The first-crop colt by G1 MVRC Cox Plate winner State of Rest from River Goddess (Lot 66) won’t be a early-season 2yo winner being a leggy type but he’s improved more than any other youngster in the draft during their sale preps.
The Olives love the Pierata – Rocksan colt (Lot 69) who is a half-brother to Outlandos (Dissident). He won a Sydney Stayers Cup (2600m) at Randwick for trainer John Sargent and retired with a bank-balance of $780k.
The St Mark’s Basilica – Smart Fascinator colt (Lot 78) came about after a conversation with Cannon Hayes Stud Manager Dave Morrissey. “Smart Fascinator was boarding at Cannon Hayes in Scone,” Sue recalled. “Dave suggested St Mark’s Basilica would suit the mare and that was good advice because the colt is a real nice type.”
Gold Front’s yearlings will be stabled in Barns I and J at the Magic Millions.
