Wewillrock strikes at Randwick

The genuine Wewillrock added another notch to his belt and first in Australia when he proved superior at Randwick this afternoon.

The son of El Roca had placed in both of his previous runs across the Tasman and a sweet ride from Tyler Schiller saw the four-year-old too strong over 1200 metres for his Benchmark 88 opposition.

Trained by John O’Shea, he bounced quickly to sit close to the pace and, after peeling three wide at the top of the straight, was too strong in the run home.

Wewillrock is raced by Waikato Stud’s Mark Chittick with good friends, the Hawke’s Bay-based brothers Mark and Paul Apatu.

“He’s a really nice horse, one thing about him is he’s really enjoyed Randwick. He’s a big, tough fellow. Some horses struggle with the transition but he hasn’t, he’s really enjoyed it,” O’Shea said.

He was purchased on their behalf by Guy Lowry at Karaka for $35,000 and the Hawke’s Bay trainer prepared Wewillrock to win on four occasions and Group 3 placings in last season’s Almanzor Trophy and Cambridge Breeders’ S. 

The gelding raced under Lowry’s name when runner-up at Rosehill three runs back before he transferred to O’Shea’s stable to finish third in the Listed Bob Charley S. before his Randwick triumph.