Unfortunately provides late Society Rock with first stakes success

The loss of former Tally-Ho Stud resident Society Rock was further emphasised on Sunday when his son Unfortunately became a first stakes winner for his late sire with victory in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin at Maisons-Laffitte.

Settled at the front of the field to keep tabs on the pacesetting Frozen Angel, Karl Burke's colt picked up best to see off the challenges of the gallant front runner and the Royal Ascot winner Heartache to win by half a length.

Unfortunately is one of 13 Euopean winners from Society's Rock first crop, which also includes the likes of Corinthia Knight, So Hi Society and Debutante's Ball.

The dual Group 1-winning sprinter died at the age of nine last year after suffering a bout of laminitis, but his first book of 164 mares covered at a fee of €8,000 means he has plenty of sons and daughters on the ground that look capable of upholding his name.

Unfortunately, a €24,000 yearling purchase by his trainer, was bred by Tally-Ho Stud out of the winning Komaite mare Unfortunate. She has produced six winners from nine foals, including Unfortunately's half-sister Look Busy, whose best performance came when landing the Group 2 Temple Stakes in 2009.

Society Rock's first crop was well received during last year's yearling sales, with his most expensive offspring being Strange Society, a colt out of the Diamond Green mare Strange Magic who was knocked down to Armando Duarte for 210,000gns during Book 1 at Tattersalls.

The son of Rock Of Gibraltar still has plenty in the pipeline, however, having covered books of 125 mares in 2015 and 73 in 2016, with the resulting crops bringing with them the possibility of yet more talented performers to keep their sire's name in lights.

1.35 Maisons-Laffitte result