Link to Share
Owners Hermitage Thoroughbreds and trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have gone back-to-back, scoring their second consecutive victory in the Group 2 SkyCity Auckland Guineas (1600m) at Ellerslie on Friday.
The combination captured last year’s edition of the three-year-old feature with Dragon Leap, and have struck Guineas gold again 12 months later with Rocket Spade.
Making his first start since a close fifth behind Aegon in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in early November, Rocket Spade raced keenly but took up a comfortable position in seventh, one off the rail.
The colt travelled boldly just behind the leaders rounding the home turn, and he lengthened stride stylishly when jockey Craig Grylls pushed the button in the straight. Rocket Spade swept to the front and went clear, beating the strong-finishing Jason Belltree by three-quarters of a length.