Former champion Rock of Gibraltar, who has had two winners in Europe from his first two runners (one of them a stakes winner no less), continued to make a name for himself as a sire. The son of Danehill had two yearlings -- a colt and a filly -- that shared top-priced honors for the session the top honours they each reached Aust$260,000.

They beat the previous top price of the sale during day two's session -- that of $250,000 for Choisir's daughter.
The first of the Rock of Gibraltar yearlings to sell for the big dollars was a three-quarter sister to proven group winner and grade I performer Aqua D'Amore. Sydney horsewoman Gai Waterhouse secured the filly for what she described as "a great value price."

"I thought she was very immature when I saw her in January," Waterhouse said. "But since then she has really done well."
"Aqua D'Amore also ran a close second in the group I BMW and is a multiple group winner. So, taking all of that into account, I thought she was great value."

The dust hadn't long settled on Waterhouse's sale topping purchase when another of Sydney's powerful trainers paid Aust$260,000 for a colt by Rock of Gibraltar.

Anthony Cummings, son of the legendary trainer Bart Cummings, also felt his purchase presented great value. The colt is a half-brother to the group I winner Baraka, who who like this colt is a graduate of the Gold Coast ring.

"He's a very good type," Cummings reported. "He's very strong and has great depth to the shoulder and he's got a good pedigree. I was keen all year to buy a Rock (of Gibraltar) and he's been the best value I have seen all year. He's easily the best in the (Coolmore Stud) draft."
The colt will be raced in similar interests as star stable performer, the group I winner Hotel Grand.