Rocket Man confirmed his status as one of the world’s great sprinters with a sensational victory in the G1 Lion City Cup at Kranji on Saturday night.  The Viscount gelding led from start to finish in a truly dominant performance.

Rocket Man (4g Viscount – Macrosa by McGinty) was coming off a narrow loss in the Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan when regular rider Robbie Fradd was criticised for riding the Singapore champion too far off the speed.

“It was my fault in Dubai,” Fradd admitted.  “It’s not just a monkey off my back – it’s a gorilla.  I’ve ridden a lot of good horses but Rocket Man is the best sprinter by far.  He has a really high cruising speed and just breaks their hearts.”

Trainer Patrick Shaw said the gelding is on course for the G1 KrisFlyer Sprint on May 16 and there’s also an option to go to Royal Ascot.  Rocket Man beat all but Sacred Kingdom in the 2009 KrisFlyer and connections are determined to go one better this year.

Rocket Man is turning into a great advertisement to the Australian thoroughbred industry.  He was bred by Tyreel Stud in NSW and is by former Woodlands stallion Viscount who is now based in Western Australia at Neville Duncan’s Oakland Park Stud.

To complete the national round-up, Rocket Man was sold at the 2007 Magic Millions National yearling sale on the Gold Coast.  He was purchased by leading South African based bloodstock agent Andy Williams for $60,000 on behalf of owner Fred Crabbia.  

Rocket Man is from a very successful family developed by WA breeders John and Joan Blackburn.  It began in the 1980s when their top-class mare Rosamoss (Moss Trooper) carried the their distinctive white, black and green colours to victories in the WA Anniversary Cup, Towton Cup, Kalgoorlie Gold Cup and Eurythmic Cup.

Her younger sister Dusky Rosa (Indian Conquest) won five races in Perth and at stud foaled G1 AJC Australian Derby winner Ebony Grosve (Grosvenor) and Randwick stakes winner Macrosa (McGinty).

Beside Rocket Man, Macrosa is also the dam of South African based galloper Our Giant (Giant’s Causeway) who has won at the elite level in the Mercury Sprint at Clairwood and the Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein.