30th Stakes-Winner for Rock

19th April 2008

Improving three year-old Book of Kells (3c Rock of Gibraltar x Episode, by Scenic) ploughed through the heavy conditions at Rosehill on Saturday to win the Group Two STC Tulloch Stakes in providing his outstanding young sire Rock of Gibraltar with his 30^th individual stakes-winner worldwide.

Friendless in betting, the Bart Cummings trained Book of Kells travelled comfortably midfield for much of the race before unleashing a big finishing burst to surge past New Zealand Group Two winner Rios.

Book of Kells has now won two of nine starts and will be given his shot at the Group One AJC Australian Derby at Royal Randwick next Saturday.

“He’s bred to stay and always shown a bit of quality so he’ll get his chance next week,” said Cummings.

Raced by long time Cummings client Dato Tan Chin Nam and partners, Book of Kells was purchased by DGR Thoroughbreds for $150,000 from the Glastonbury Farm draft at the 2006 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

He is from the former outstanding racemare Episode, a winner of six races including the Group One SAJC South Australian Oaks and Australasian Oaks.

Book of Kells is the sixth individual Australian stakes-winner this season for Coolmore based Rock of Gibraltar, who leads all other second season sires for number of individual stakes-winners since August 1.

Rock of Gibraltar has 36 youngsters catalogued for the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.