First Stakes Win Sealed in Australia

Karaka graduate First Seal (Fastnet Rock) trumped her high-profile counterparts with a strong victory in the Group 2 A$175,000 Coolmore Tea Rose Stakes against the three-year-old fillies at Randwick.

Karaka graduate First Seal triumphant in the Group 2 Coolmore Tea Rose Stakes at Randwick.

The Group 2 event was built up as a match-race between race-favourites Winx (Street Cry) and Earthquake (Exceed and Excel) but it was the NZ$700,000 Karaka Premier Sale graduate that showed the pair up for trainer John Thompson.

Enjoying a cosy trail behind Earthquake and Winx, First Seal was given a saloon passage on the inside of the pair in the straight. When it appeared the two favourites were going to battle the finish out, the daughter of Fastnet Rock surged on the inside, powering to the finish to win by three-quarters-of-a-length from Winx with a head to Earthquake.

Carrying the colours of China Horse Club, First Seal is the first major winner for the syndicate who are developing the thoroughbred industry in China. Also in the ownership are Think Big Stud, Westcode Pty Ltd, Mr J S C Chua & Raffles Thoroughbred Racing. It was a highly successful day for Raffles Thoroughbred Racing who also part-own Group 1 George Main Stakes winner Sacred Falls (NZ) (O’Reilly).

“It was a good win, I am very happy with her,” commented Thompson. “She is a high-quality and progressive filly that will head towards the Group 1 Flight Stakes in two weeks. To beat those fillies at set weights was a pretty good achievement.

“It was a thrill to win a big race for the owners, China Horse Club. I did a job for them in China last year and it is good to come back and train for them on home soil.”

Saturday’s victory was the second win from only four starts for the three-year-old filly, earning A$158,360 in prizemoney for her owners.

Bred by Cambridge-based Raffles Dancers (NZ) Pty Ltd, First Seal is out of dual Group 1 Oaks winner Episode (Scenic), the dam of Group 2 Tulloch Stakes winner Book of Kells (Rock of Gibraltar) and stakes placegetter Best Command (Court Command).

Bart Cummings purchased First Seal from the 2013 Karaka Premier Sale from Curraghmore Stud. Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore Stud’s 2013 draft also included Kuro (NZ) (Denman), the winner of the Listed Heritage Stakes that was one race earlier on the card at Randwick.

Kiwi’s enjoyed a stellar day at the Randwick with the stakes victories of Sacred Falls and Kuro adding to First Seal’s success.