Cover image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Dream Roca (NZ) (El Roca) was bred by Gerry Harvey and sold by his Westbury Stud at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$75,000. Second on debut in October for trainer Liam Birchley, whose company Bloodstock Solutions is the listed buyer of Dream Roca, she won in Brisbane in mid-December before heading to New Zealand for the R.Listed Karaka Millions 2YO.
“She was an absolute star, a cracking filly. She was the first foal from the mare and in book 2, so being a filly in that book, we felt she sold well,” said Russell Warwick of Westbury Stud.
“It’s a big thrill to see her doing this for the owners.”
An improving type who will be better at three
As a type, Dream Roca has plenty of improvement. “She was a good medium sized filly, extremely well balance, mature and strong, and really muscular. You’d imagine on her pedigree and physique that she’ll improve as an autumn 2-year-old and 3-year-old and upward. It doesn’t always happen, but you’d anticipate that she is open to considerable improvement,” said Warwick.
“She reminded of a lot of a filly we’d sold at the Ready To Run Sales called Perfumist who is doing well for Bjorn Baker.” Perfumist (NZ) (El Roca) is a 4-year-old mare who has six wins and is Group 3 placed. She was last seen in the Golden Eagle this spring. Westbury Stud sold her at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale for NZ$190,000 to Bjorn Baker, OTI, Phil Cataldo Bloodstock and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA).
Trainer Liam Birchley purchased Dream Roca with this improvement in mind. Birchley previously won the R.Listed Karaka Millions 2YO in 2010 with Sister Havana (NZ) (General Nediym) and in 2015 with Hardline (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}), so a third victory in the race was not a surprise.
Dream Roca (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Except that Dream Roca was purchased with the R.Listed Karaka Millions 3YO in mind…
“When they changed the 3-year-old race to a mile (in 2012), I changed tack a bit from buying out-and-out sprinters to trying to buy a horse that would be strong enough to run at two but hopefully got the scope to improve at three,” Birchley said.
“With her breeding being out of Redwood mare, and by El Roca, I thought she was a candidate for that, and fell into the right price range.” - Liam Birchley
“With her breeding being out of Redwood mare, and by El Roca, I thought she was a candidate for that, and fell into the right price range, and that was it. I wanted to run in the 2-year-old race if possible, but I wanted something strong enough to run at two and hopefully improve out to a mile at three with any luck.”
El Roca, a son of Fastnet Rock, was a Listed winning 3-year-old who placed in both the G1 Randwick Guineas and G1 George Ryder Stakes at three. He retired to stud in New Zealand in 2015 and Dream Roca is his 13th stakes winner from 315 runners. El Roca has two Group 1 winners, who both won the G1 Levin Classic, Travelling Light (NZ) and Romancing The Moon (NZ).
El Roca | Standing at Wesbury Stud
“She’s not really scopey but she’s got enough there, especially with her breeding, to think that she’s get a mile, especially against her own age and sex.
“She’s always been strong at the end of her races, so that gives you a good platform to work with if you are going to step up in distance. She relaxes really well in her races so that’s not an issue and hits the line really hard. Those types of horses generally do get a bit further.”
“She’s always been strong at the end of her races, so that gives you a good platform to work with.” - Liam Birchley
She is the first foal of five-race winner Petrachor (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), Dream Roca has a yearling half-sister by Swiss Ace. Petrachor is a half-sister to stakes placed Niobe (NZ) (Niello) from the family of G1 Otaki Maori RC WFA Stakes winner Marscapone (Shooting To Win) and G1 Australian Oaks winner Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi {GB}).
She’ll be back in New Zealand
Having been bought with the R.Listed Karaka Millions 3YO in mind, and winning there a year earlier than expected, Dream Roca will be back.
“We’ll go back (home) and look at some of the races over the winter once they get a bit longer.” - Liam Birchley
“We’ll go back (home) and look at some of the races over the winter once they get a bit longer. The JJ Atkins and the Sires, that sort of path. We want to have a good idea in our head that she’ll get a mile to warrant bringing her back (to the Karaka Millions 3YO), so we’ll have a good look at her at home and go from there,” said Birchley.
Liam Birchley | Image courtesy of racing Queensland
When asked if it was hard to line up the form between Queensland and New Zealand so early in the season for 2-year-olds, Birchley pointed to the lack of dominance by one horse as a factor.
“It is (hard to line up form), to some degree. You could see (this season) that there weren’t any real standouts (in New Zealand), it looked like an even type of race on paper. Usually if you have something winning by three or five lengths, then you think they’ll be quite a bit above average, but there wasn’t anything in that situation this year.
“I got a lot more confident after the barrier draw when she got one, that was the icing on the cake.”
“I got a lot more confident after the barrier draw when she got one, that was the icing on the cake.” - Liam Birchley
In second place on Saturday was Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos-trained Magill (Farnan) who had won his maiden the start before by only 0.2 lengths, and in third was fellow Aussie raider Torture (NZ) (Sword Of State) who won the Listed Debutant Stakes on debut in October, but had managed only a fourth last start at Geelong. Birchley’s other runner in the race, Vanzadee (NZ) (Vanbrugh), ran eighth.
Birchley purchases to bring him full circle
Liam Birchley’s Bloodstock Solutions were active on Day 1 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale buying Lot 129 for $120,000, and Lot 279 for $140,000.
“I bought a couple yesterday and get another one or two again, I’ll be rapt,” Birchley told TTR on Monday morning.
“I bought a couple yesterday and get another one or two again, I’ll be rapt.” - Liam Birchley
“I bought her out of book 2, but yesterday was a bit dearer, a little bit more but still under the average. Same type of horse as Dream Roca, hopefully strong enough to go at two and improve at three.”
Lot 129 was sourced from the same farm as Dream Roca, Westbury Stud, and the Redwood (GB) grey colt is out of winning Fastnet Rock mare Simogramor (NZ), who is a daughter of New Zealand Champion 3-Year-Old and dual Guineas winner Katie Lee (NZ) (Pins), who is the grandam of Group 3 winner Public Attention (NZ) (Written Tycoon).
Lot 129: Redwood (GB) x Simogramor colt | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Windsor Park Stud sold Lot 279, a Pierro colt from G2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes winner Aretha (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). He traces back to Champion mare Horlicks (NZ) (Three Legs {GB}) who is the dam of G1 Melbourne Cup winner Brew (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}).
Lot 279: Pierro x Aretha colt | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
All Birchley’s purchases will be sold to clients through his website. “Selling isn’t my strong suit to be fair. 99% of the horses I train, I’ve sourced myself. I like to be master of my own destiny, rather than getting horses from others and hoping they can run. I’ve got 26 in work. I don’t plan to get much above 30, once you do that you have to rely on too many people, and they just aren’t there anymore.”
