Stakes Success for Fastnet Rock Relative

17th September 2008

The Group Three Cameron Handicap at Newcastle on Wednesday was taken out in devastating style by the Patinack Farm owned Raheeb (5h Royal Academy x Gatana, by Twig Moss), who turned in a scintillating performance to capture the 1400 metre feature by more than three lengths.

Having his second run back from a long spell of more than a year, Raheeb settled beautifully for Danny Nikolic just off the pace and when asked to accelerate, the Anthony Cummings trained galloper left his rivals for dead.

Raheeb was in a class of his own, cruising away from the previously unbeaten Ashikaga (5g Fusaichi Pegasus x Tropical Affair, by Danehill) and late closing Falaise in a performance that will have connections reviewing all options.

With an overall record of three wins and six placings from 11 starts and $226,600 in prizemoney, Raheeb has just 51 kg in the Group One AJC Epsom Handicap and is also entered for the Cox Plate and both Cups, so the world really is his oyster this spring.

A relatively recent acquisition for Patinack, Raheeb was previously trained by Tim Martin for Sheikh Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and the Cameron is his first Black Type success.

His win would come as no surprise to form students as Raheeb split Typhoon Zed and Hurried Choice when resuming from a spell for second in the Group Three STC Concorde Stakes on August 30, with those two horses both coming out to win last Saturday, the former in the Group One Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley and the latter taking the Group Two STC Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill.

A modest $90,000 purchase for Tim Stakemire on behalf of Sheikh Bin Khalifa from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2005 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Raheeb has a terrific stallions pedigree.

A son of outstanding sire Royal Academy, Raheeb is from the smart stakes-winner Gatana, who has done a great job at stud leaving four stakes horses led by Group Three winning juvenile Piccadilly Circus, who is a full sister to Raheeb and better known as the dam of champion sprinter and highly promising young sire Fastnet Rock.