Part owned by former SA champion owner Markus Jooste, the Frankel colt Rostropovich benefited from a drop in class to win the 2400m Gr3 Paddy’s Rewards Club Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.
Aidan O’Brien trained the winner (photo: Coolmore)
The Aidan O’Brien-trained galloper was second in the Irish Derby two starts ago and had won the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester in May.
Sent off the even money favourite, he had to dig deep under Donnacha O’Brien to see off his stablemate Giuseppe Garibaldi and bank the €59000 first cheque.
Jooste’s co-owners are M Tabor, D Smith and Mrs J Magnier.
Bred by Epona Bloodstock Ltd, Rostropovich is a half-brother to the O’Brien’s Gr1 Phoenix Stakes winner Zoffany who was also a close runner-up to this colt’s sire Frankel in the 2011 Gr1 St James’s Palace Stakes.
The dam, who was best at 1400m, also produced the fellow Ballydoyle trainee and similarly speedy Gr3 Anglesey Stakes winner Wilshire Boulevard and is out of the Gr3 Prix de la Nonette winner Dust Dancer who stayed a mile and a half.
