Karaka graduate rocks Queensland

Karaka Ready to Run graduate Rockdale returned to top form when downing Australia’s best three-year-olds at Doomben last Saturday, just a couple of hours after fellow graduate Flying Fulton defeated New Zealand’s best Autumn two-year-olds at Ellerslie.

Purchased and prepared by leading Queensland trainer John Morrisey from the Karaka Ready to Run Sale, Rockdale (3c Danroad-Komplete Kaos, by Desert Sun) won the 2008 G1 TJ Smith Classic (1600m) at the Queensland Winter Carnival on June 9 last year, less than seven months after selling for $135,000.

The front-running son of Danroad returned to the Carnival last Saturday in fine style, bowling along in the lead and proving too tough for his opposition in the G3 Rough Habit Plate (2020m).  Morrisey will now keep an eye firmly on the weather forcast with Rockdale expected to line up in the G1 Queensland Derby (2400m) in a fortnight’s time.

“I had a lot of confidence going into the Rough Habit and. I’ll be hoping for a wet track come Derby day, but he’ll still acquit himself on any surface,” Morrisey said.

Rockdale’s immediate pedigree suggests a question mark over his stamina with neither his sire or dam winning beyond 1600m, but those who search deeper into his genetics will find that he hails from one of the Aga Khan’s families, a family that has produced the likes of G1 Breeder’s Cup Turf hero Kalanisi (Doyoun) and G2 Scottish Derby winner Kalaman (Desert Prince).

Sold by Janine Dunlop’s Phoenix Park at the 2007 Karaka Sale, Rockdale has now won over $500,000 for his connections and is the first foal and winner for the stakes placed Komplete Kaos.

Following Rockdale’s black type success was Flying Fulton (3c Flying Spur-Fulton by Zabeel) at Ellerslie on Saturday in the Listed Maltby’s Great Northern Foal Stakes (1400m).

Sold by George and Maryanne Simon’s Mana Park last November, Flying Fulton fetched a $210,000 bid from Te Akau principal David Ellis and is now raced by the Te Akau Stallion Syndicate No. 2.

An exciting three-year-old prospect, Flying Fulton is the first foal for Fulton, a three-quarter sister to the Rod Douglas trained three year old filly Zapurple (Zabeel), winner of the G3 SAJC Fillies Classic.

Flying Fulton is now likely to head to Christchurch for the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in November.