9 April 2023
Photo scoopdyga.com
Sunday, April 9, 2023, ParisLongchamp Hippodrome (Paris). - Big Rock (Rock of Gibraltar) took on a major test over 9 furlongs in the Prix La Force (Gr3). Having won a handicap on the All-Weather by more than five lengths in February and the Prix Maurice Caillault (L), again on the sand at Chantilly, the representative of Yeguada Centurion took the lead. His advanced preparation certainly helped him repel the attack of the betting favourite Padishakh (Wootton Bassett), winner of his two outings last year. In the end, Big Rock even took two and a half lengths from the representative of Nurlan Bizakov, who barely resisted the late charge from the Irish raider Greenland (Saxon Warrior).
Big Rock, entered in the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club (Gr1) and the Grand Prix de Paris (Gr1), is the first foal out of an Aga Khan-bred mare, Hardiyna (Sea the Stars), who was sold for 72,000 euros to Yeguada Centurion at the Goffs breeding sales in 2019, in foal to this colt. The mare is out of Harasiya (Pivotal), a Group-winning and placed mare and sister of the Derby winner Harzand (Sea the Stars).
A Ten Sovereigns colt was born in 2021.