Queensland Cup Victory for Solid Billing

NZB graduate Solid Billing was in a class of his own when he cruised to a three length victory in the Listed Queensland Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Dominating the race from the off, Solid Billing led the field all the way to his second black type win. The Craig Ritchie trained gelding claimed his first black type win earlier this season in the Group 3 AJC Summer Cup in December (2400m).

Fifth in his last outing in the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m), Ritchie was unsure whether Solid Billing had the distance for the Queensland Cup however these concerns proved unfounded with the Rock of Gibraltar stayer uncontested over the distance.

Owned by Gibraltar Express Ltd and bred by T.W Archer Trust & Peters Equine Trust, Solid Billing was passed in at $115,000, just shy of his $150,000 reserve, at the 2006 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale where he was offered by Chesterfields Ltd.

Solid Billing is one of four Australasian stakes winners this season for Rock of Gibraltar including Rock Kingdom, La Rocket and Proart.

Rock of Gibraltar is represented by Lot 68 in the upcoming Winter Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka on 1 August. Offered by Curraghmore Stud this yearling filly is out of Clareta who is the dam of stakes placed Drovetti.

Contact reception@nzb.co.nz to request copies of New Zealand Bloodstock's Winter Mixed Bloodstock Sale and South Island Sale.