Double strike for Waikato Stud resident
Rock Island Line completed a Riccarton double on Saturday for Rock ‘n’ Pop when he defeated his Rating 65 rivals.
The Waikato Stud stallion’s lightly-tried son Bully Boy had earlier opened his account in style.
Trained by Lisa Latta, Rock Island Line came from back in the field under Ryan Elliot for the second win of his career.
“We had a plan to bring him down here for a thank hree race campaign,” Go Racing’s Matt Allnutt said.
“To be fair, he was a bit disappointing at Oamaru and last Saturday he didn’t quite get the mile.
“Back to 1400m today suited him and he’s quite a progressive horse.”
Rock Island Line also boasts the breeding to suggest he can move further through the grades.
He is out of the Al Akbar mare Island Time, also the dam of the Listed Levin Stakes winner North And South.
The Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Hulastrike also features in the pedigree.
G3 TAB Mile trifecta for Waikato sires
Recording his first Group victory, and second at black-type level after success in the Listed Lindauer Stewards Stakes some 12 months back, Ocean Park gelding Mystic Park led home an impressive one-two-three result for the Waikato stallions, defeating Sir Albert (Savabeel) and Cannon Hill (Ardrossan) in Wednesday’s Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) at Riccarton Park.
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The Corner with Garry Chittick
Sometimes you wonder, other times you realise what’s the point. We have two new Board members to help guide Thoroughbred Racing to a brighter, more enlightened future. Now, I don’t know either, and I am sure they have been confirmed for the right reasons – I think my concern is where is it our leaders believe they are taking us.
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