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Second stakes winner for El Roca

3 minute read

Ima Roca Bee breaks her maiden in Saturday’s Ryder Stakes at Otaki.

IMA ROCA BEE.
IMA ROCA BEE. Picture: Race Images Photo

The Westbury Stud-based El Roca (Fastnet Rock) sired his second stakes winner on Saturday when Ima Roca Bee (2 f ex Shelly Bee by Pentire) won the Ryder Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Otaki, the final New Zealand stakes race of the season. 

Ima Roca Bee finished a close second last start in the Castletown Stakes (Listed, 1200m) on 5 June and on Saturday scored a length and a quarter victory over Yeaboi (Belardo), with Flash Mary - who is also by El Roca - back in third. 

Ima Roca Bee was bred and is and raced by her trainer, Karyn McQuade, and her husband Hamish. 

"We're just thrilled with the win as she has showed us she has ability, but probably wasn't quite there mentally early on," Hamish McQuade said.

"She just wanted to do everything at a million miles an hour and that was how she was in her first couple of starts.

"After she had a break, she settled down nicely and has come back really well.

"She has a deceptive appearance as she isn't that big overall, but she has long legs and a really long stride."

The filly be aimed at the O'Leary Fillies Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Whanganui in September before being given an extended break. 

A tilt at the Listed O'Leary Fillies Stakes (1200m) at Whanganui in early September is now the aim with Ima Roca Bee, before she heads to the paddock for an extended summer break.

"We'll give her a few days off now and then head down to Whanganui for the stakes race there," McQuade said.

"I do think she will go on the better tracks but at this stage our plan is to give her a really good spell after Whanganui and then get her back for some autumn targets.

"She comes from a nice family that has done well for us and ultimately she will become part of our broodmare band, so with a stakes win already, she is a very valuable filly for us."

El Roca's fee is advertised at NZ$8,000 (plus GST). He stood his first season at stud in 2015 and his progeny are headed by 2020 Levin Classic (Gr 1, 1600m) winning filly Travelling Light who is from his second crop.


Racing and Sports

Otaki

Saturday, 31st July 2021

5
14:20
(local)

Ryder Stakes (LR)

Age: 2yo Type: OPEN
NZD $50,000
1200m TURF HEAVY
5
14:20
(local)
NZD $50,000
1200m HEAVY

Ryder Stakes (LR)

Age: 2yo Type: OPEN

This 2yo Listed event over 1200m did not draw a very strong field and saw a minor upset winner in Ima Roca Bee, a maiden before today, that came from last and surged through near the home turn then led at the 100m. The filly clocked 1:16.89 to win on a Heavy11 track to score her first Blacktype race that was also her first win though she had run second at Listed level in the lead up to today so she was in form. The winners and where they came from today turning for home were eighth (eight-off the inside and five lengths from the leader), second (one-off the inside and a length from the leader), led (eight-off the inside and half a length in front), seventh (twelve-off the inside and three and a half lengths from the leader), fourth (twelve-off the inside and two lengths from the leader), third (fourteen-off the inside and two lengths from the leader), fourth (fourteen-off the inside and two lengths from the leader) and third (ten-off the inside and length and a half from the leader). Ima Roca Bee was having just her fourth outing and prior to today had run second at Listed level beaten just a neck at $34. She won today at $12 by a length and a quarter and clearly relished the wet ground plus was ridden by the apprentice rider in Erin Leighton. Second home was Yeaboi that was unbeaten in two trials and had won his first start by a short head on Heavy footing. He started second favourite and ran fifth surrounded before coming up wider and leading turning for home only to be headed at the 100m and beaten comfortably. The gelding was ridden by the apprentice Hazel Schofer. Third home was Flash Mary beaten just over three lengths after racing outside the leader and being third at the 250m. Fourth home was Bellacontte that after a slow start booted through to trail on the inner and then got angled wide near the home turn. The filly was sixth turning for home but boxed on to be fourth at the 200m and was beaten just over seven lengths. Fifth home was the favorite Catsacharmer that raced in front on the inner and once headed turning for home offered nothing then stopped badly to be beaten almost ten and a half lengths. The last three runners home got beaten over fifteen lengths and up to eighteen and a half lengths. This was not a very strong field and the testing Heavy ground embellished many and proved way too deep for others too, so this looks a wet weather result only.



FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 4. IMA ROCA BEE (NZ) 2yo F
EL ROCA (AUS) - SHELLY BEE (NZ)
ERIN M LEIGHTON
KARYN MCQUADE
$12
54.5kg
H & K McQuade
2nd 2. YEABOI (NZ) 2yo G
BELARDO (IRE) - SPIFFY IFFIE (NZ)
R H SCHOFER
ALLAN SHARROCK
$4.75
56.5kg
Garry & Nicole Pye

Sales Information

3rd 6. FLASH MARY (NZ) 2yo F
EL ROCA (AUS) - CLAUDY EIRE (AUS)
LYNSEY SATHERLEY
DEBBIE SWEENEY
$11
54.5kg
B G Black, L G Black, A P MacGillivay & S E McGiffert
4th 5. BELLACONTTE (NZ) 2yo F
BURGUNDY (NZ) - DEVON DOLL (NZ)
SARAH O'MALLEY
CHRISSY A BAMBRY
$6.5
54.5kg
5th 3. CATSACHARMER (NZ) 2yo F
CHARM SPIRIT (IRE) - CATWOMANDU (NZ)
DANIELLE JOHNSON
ALLAN SHARROCK
$2.11
54.5kg
6th 8. OVER THE MOON (NZ) 2yo F
VESPA (NZ) - MOONS OF JUPITER (AUS)
CALLUM JONES
JOHN & STEPHEN RALPH
$41
54.5kg
7th 7. TUI ROCKS (NZ) 2yo F
EL ROCA (AUS) - LOLA BEETLE (AUS)
LISA ALLPRESS
G INNES
$13
54.5kg
8th 1. BURGUNDY DANCER (NZ) 2yo G
BURGUNDY (NZ) - CHOREOGRAPHY (NZ)
JASMINE FAWCETT
D LOGAN & C GIBBS
$12
56.5kg

Sales Information

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