Ipswich, June 18 – Exciting three year-old filly Born to Rock upstaged the older mares to win the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic over 1350 metres at Ipswich on Saturday.

Making her third start in Australia, having previously been trained in New Zealand by Stephen McKee, the Mike Moroney trained mare jumped swiftly for Matthew Palmer and led throughout to land her first Black Type success by more than a length.

“Her run was terrific actually,” Palmer said. “She has a huge cruising speed and we were able to get to the lead and once we got to the half mile and I was sitting quiet on her and I was pretty confident it would take a good one to run her down.”

Born to Rock (pictured courtesy Magic Millions) has won four of 11 starts and close to $90,000 in prizemoney, her newfound status as a stakes-winner guaranteed to boost her future value at stud.

Foaled and raised at Yarraman Park, Born to Rock fetched $210,000 at the 2008 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale when purchased by Gwent Holdings and is a full sister to this season’s stakes-placed two year-old Cindarockinrella.

Born to Rock is the first stakes-winner for blue-blooded import Call Me Pretty (USA), a half-sister by Peaks and Valleys to stakes-winners Tiger’s Rock and Warrior Queen, the dam of Group II winner AP Warrior tracing back to the family of Group I winner and champion sire Storm Bird.