Volcanic Rock was a standout yearling at the 2020 Inglis Classic Sale
Volcanic Rock is expected to be one of two runners to carry China Horse Club’s colours in this weekend’s AUD1,000,000 G1 J.J Atkins Stakes (1600m) in Brisbane (Australia). The improving juvenile earning his tilt at the end of season feature alongside Tiger of Malay when one of two stakes winners for the club last weekend.
Just hours after Oseleta achieved her mark in New Zealand’s Listed Skycity Stakes (1200m), Volcanic Rock annexed the Listed Phoenix Stakes at Brisbane’s Eagle Farm with a determined on-pace display.
“It was great to get two-year-old stakes win on board for Volcanic Rock and the China Horse Club/Newgate Farm syndicate,” China Horse Club’s Michael Smith said.
“Volcanic Rock went forward as planned and just sat in behind another horse that was keen to take up the running. Craig [jockey Craig Williams] just let him cruise until halfway through the bend before getting him going and wound up.
“Volcanic Rock was a little hesitant to keep going once he hit the front but Craig kept him honest and he won easily enough in the end. The J.J. Atkins is a further step up and he is backing up quickly but he has come out of that win well and he deserves his tilt in a race like this.”
Home-bred Oseleta was given her chance at black type after displaying above-average ability at only her second career start back in March. The daughter of Deep Field justified that faith in her when racing away to a two-length triumph. In doing so she joined a growing band of stakes winners to surface from CHC Australia’s breeding programme and the club’s last stakes-winning filly in New Zealand.
“What a super win from a well-bred filly,” Smith said of Oseleta.
“She’s taken a bit of time to come to hand, only making her racing debut in March of this year, but from four starts she is now a two-time winner and has never been out of the placings.
“Oseleta beat quite a handy field and what I really liked was that she finally put all the pieces together doing everything right and overcame a bad draw and average start to thread the needle through the field and burst home in the finish.
“There are some inviting races for her next season, especially from November onwards, and we will look to build from what has been a very positive start to her career.”
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