By Bren O'Brien
Esta La Roca's (NZ) (El Roca) dominant maiden win at Cranbourne on Wednesday has given trainer Lloyd Kennewell the confidence to take the front-running filly to the Listed Lightning S. next start.
Kennewell was able to give his subsequent dual Group 1 winner Viddora (I Am Invincible) her first stakes success in the Lightning S. back in 2014, and is hoping to repeat the dose this year, albeit that Esta La Roca will tackle the Morphettville race on July 25 as a 2-year-old.
The 2 and 3-year-old event has proven a good launching point for some high quality horses over the past few years, with multiple Group 1 winner, and now the world's highest rated sprinter, Nature Strip (Nicconi) defeating star filly Sunlight (Zoustar) two years' ago.
Esta La Roca may not reach those lofty heights but she took a huge step forward on her first-up third at Cranbourne earlier this month in leading all-the-way over the 1000 metres to win by 2l.
Jockey Joe Bowditch, who formed a terrific partnership with Viddora when she was racing, jumped this filly straight to the front, with the expected challenge from short-priced favourite Frederick The Dane (Danerich) failing to materialise, as he finished second ahead of Nightfire (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who showed promise on debut.
Stable representative and Lloyd Kennewell's father, Gary, said Esta La Roca had put the troubles of her debut behind her and had taken huge improvement.
"We had to use her up the other day, but he got a hold of her today and she jumped quite a lot better," he said. "She has always shown ability right from the start."
"She has always shown ability right from the start." - Gary Kennewell
"She'll probably go to Adelaide for the Dermody (Lightning). It’s in a fortnight's time, so if she can get some black type, that'll be lovely."
She becomes the 11th Australian winner for Westbury Stud-based El Roca, who has had one stakes winner in New Zealand to date, the G1 Levin Classic victor Travelling Light (NZ).
El Roca | Standing at Westbury Stud
Kennewell Racing paid $47,500 for Esta La Roca out of the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale from the draft of Baramul Stud, whose principal Gerry Harvey bred her, had initially offered her at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where she passed in short of her $25,000 reserve.
Her dam, Camouflaged (Strategic), has already produced a stakes winner in the Listed Macau Guineas winner Gold Alloy (Testa Rossa), and she was a half-sister to the Listed winner Landlocked (Zabeel {NZ}).
That extended family also features Group 1-winning sprinters Bentley Biscuit (Peintre Celebre {USA}) and Thorn Park (Spinning World {USA}).
Esta La Roca is Kennewell's first 2-year-old winner for the season.
