Rocking to Group 1 Glory
5 March 2015
Four-year-old mare Rock Diva (NZ) (Lucky Unicorn) reached the pinnacle of racing yesterday securing victory from a challenging run in the Group 1 $500,000 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m).
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Rock Diva (NZ) victorious in the Group 1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup. |
Trained by Tony Pike, this was Rock Diva’s second stakes victory from her three wins. The daughter of Lucky Unicorn’s previous two victories came last year, both over 2100m, with her first win in February followed by victory in the Group 3 McKee Family Sunline Vase on Auckland Cup Day, exactly one year ago.
After running third in last season’s Group 1 New Zealand Oaks, she continued her three-year-old campaign in Queensland Australia where she was unlucky and returned home for a spell. Her last start saw her run third in the Group 2 Avondale Gold Cup at Ellerslie, just beaten by Farm Boy (NZ) (El Hermano) and race rival King Kamada (NZ) (Shinko King).
“It was a great thrill and she has always been a special mare,” commented Pike. “As a three-year-old filly, not many would run in two Oaks and a Derby, but she was very unlucky in Queensland."
“She came back maybe a bit flat at the start of this preparation as a four-year-old but her last start in the Avondale Cup really proved she was almost back to her peak and she got the job done yesterday.”
Starting the 3200m trip with Mark Du Plessis riding, Rock Diva was slow away from her wide barrier, settling back to last in the field. El Soldado (NZ) (Colombia) led the field half-way round with Blizzard (NZ) (Any Suggestion) taking over with one lap to go, while Rock Diva continued to trail the field.
Coming off the turn and heading for home, the field spread wide across the track, Rock Diva fought to get a clear line while King Kamada challenged front-runner El Soldado. The Lucky Unicorn mare waited until the final stages to storm forward, sweeping past King Kamada by three-quarters-of-a-length for victory. King Kamada settled for second position and Pondarosa Miss (NZ) (High Chaparral) finished in third place.
“She was always coming but just leaving her runs a touch too late, however, the 3200m yesterday really suited her and managed to get to the winning post first this time,” said Pike.
“She will have a spell now and then we will look at our options for the spring – possibly the Melbourne Cup.”
Winning three of her 15 starts and placing in a further six races, Rock Diva has now increased her prizemoney to $442,229 and is owned by Dato Yap Kim San’s Raffles Dancers (NZ) Pty Ltd.
The four-year-old mare was purchased at the 2012 Premier Sale for $200,000 by NZB as agent from Valachi Downs.
Bred by Mrs M R & V Trillo, Rock Diva is half-sister to Shamrocker (O’Reilly), winner of two Group 1 races in Australia and named Champion 3YO Filly in Australia in 2010-11. Rock Diva is out of winning mare Bohemian Blues (Blue Traveller), who is a half-sister to stakes winners Fairy Tale (Shinko King) and Juryman–Rock n Roll Kid (H.K.) (Justice Prevails).