Trainer Mark Kavanagh has Oaks aspirations with untapped filly Love The Rock, one of the star performers of tonight’s Moonee Valley meeting. The daughter of champion sire Fastnet Rock and Japanese mare Love Connection made a one-act affair of the $35,000 Eastcoast Energy Maiden Plate (2040m), coasting home by 4.25 lengths.
The victory was the three-year-old’s first, at start number three following a debut fourth at Ballarat ahead of a Bendigo second placing, but Kavanagh predicted much bigger wins are in store.
“This is a pretty good horse,” he said. “By Fastnet Rock out of a Sunday Silence mare, she just took a bit of time but she’s just loves a trip and she could measure up into something pretty good.
“We plot a path to the paddock tomorrow and then we see where she takes us. We’ve got a true staying three-year-old Fastnet Rock filly out a of a top mare that should be heading towards better things.”
Kavanagh is set on an autumn Oaks campaign for Love The Rock, but just which of Australia’s three Group 1 Oaks events in the second half of the season he will target he is not yet sure.
The $1 million ATC Oaks (2400m) will be run in Sydney on 19 April, the $400,000 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) in Adelaide a week later with the $400,000 Queensland Oaks (2400m) in Brisbane on 31 May.
Love The Rock, who settled in the second half of the field, unwound a powerful burst rounding the home turn to take control of the race before straightening. The $3.20 favourite cruised home from Host Me ($8.50) with Beldan ($21) two lengths further back third.
Winning jockey Michael Rodd said Love The Rock was a class above her rivals and a solid early tempo set up the race for her.
“I had a really nice run tonight, the tempo was on and I was able to come out when I wanted to,” Rodd said.
“She’s got a turn of foot that a lot of horses she was racing against didn’t have and she put them away really quickly and got to the line nicely.”
The full result of the Eastcoast Energy Maiden Plate is available via the link