Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Rich Hill Stud’s senior statesman Shocking again emphasised his potency and versatility when proving the dominant figure in Te Rapa’s flagship events on Saturday.
His sons El Vencedor and Here To Shock produced commanding performances in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) respectively for a memorable weight-for-age double.
“You don’t take these things for granted, but for one stallion to win two Group Ones on the same card with one over 2000m and one over 1400m is a pretty unusual occurrence,” Rich Hill’s John Thompson said.
“Both horses produced career-high performances, there’s no doubt about that.”
The Stephen Marsh-trained El Vencedor doubled his elite level tally with previous success in the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) on his CV while Lindsay Park’s headline act had been a past multiple Group Three winner.
The Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Here To Shock provided Shocking with his fifth individual Group One winner, joining El Vencedor, I’m Thunderstruck, Fanatic and Defibrillate.
“After the race, I had a chance to catch up with Nash Rawiller and he also felt it was a career high performance,” Thompson said.
“He said the way he’s going he’ll be competitive in the Group Ones in Sydney with the right draws and track conditions.”
The six-year-old El Vencedor and Here To Shock, a seven-year-old, are prime examples of Shocking’s progeny.
“Over the years, they have showed they get better and better,” Thompson said.
“They all seem to keep improving and even his lesser horses are still running around and competitive as seven and eight-year-olds.
“They’re not all going to reach the level of El Vencedor and Here To Shock, but he’s always got a good horse and provides longevity.
“I think he’s an under-rated stallion and gets forgotten a bit when people are breeding their mares.
“He was a very popular horse numbers wise, since then he hasn’t had massive numbers, but he’s certainly had an awful lot of very good horses. He’s a proven stallion and they’re hard to find.”
A son of Street Cry and the Danehill mare Maria Di Castiglia, Shocking retired to Rich Hill off the back of a glittering career that earned him victories in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), the Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) and the Gr.2 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m).
The rising 20-year-old has always proved an easy customer to have on the farm.
“He’s a great horse to deal with and very much a routine animal,” Thompson said.
“He’s a lovely horse, very kind and trustworthy and you forget he’s a stallion at times. He’s also a great horse for young people who want to handle stallions and learn.”
