By Mike Love
Rangiora trainer Tom Bamford can breathe a sigh of relief – at least for now – after Rakero Rocket showed he is on track for the second Tuesday in November with yesterday’s Alabar Methven Cup win.
The five-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding has given Bamford a few sleepless nights recently with a few things not lining up how he would’ve liked.
“It’s been well documented he had a bit of trouble after his trial leading into his first run. I spent a lot of time trying to patch him back up,” said Bamford in a post-race Trackside TV interview.
“He had too hard a trial and may have had a bit of a bug or something that knocked him. We’d been real happy with him this week. His blood and heart rate have been good so we were confident.”
Run in mud, the Group 3 event was blown wide open with the scratching of hot favourite Akuta due to the weather and track conditions.
The eight horse field raced mainly in single file with Rakero Rocket making a flyer from the tapes quickly diminishing his 10 metre handicap to lead briefly before settling for the trail behind Who’s Delight.
Driver Gavin Smith then played the patient game, conserving energy in the treacherous conditions until scooting up the passing lane. It briefly looked like the southern visitor Wag Star was going to run away with it, but Rakero Rocket found a stronger kick to take the win by a neck from Wag Star and Who’s Delight running third.
“The start was key and he got into a good spot. Everyone knows he’s a class horse, so I’m glad he was able to show it again.”
Immediate plans for Rakero Rocket appear to be somewhat cemented, presuming his race recovery is sound.
“We will go to the Canterbury Classic then Ashburton or Kaikoura. This takes a bit of pressure off now.”
Rakero Rocket, the winner of the first ever Group 1 Christian Cullen last year, has now nine from 26 starts.
He is currently at $41 on the futures market for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington on Tuesday, November 11.
Other highlights on the day saw Swannanoa trainer Brendon Hill claim his 300th training success when Patiro took out the Methven Panel & Paint Mobile Pace with his son Seth Hill in the bike. Brendon Hill trained 21 winners when in a brief partnership with Mark Jones while his other 279 winners solo, including Monkey King’s two New Zealand cups (2009 and 2010) while his first training success was Brendan Marc at Alexandra Park in 2001.
Ricky May drove a hat-trick of winners (Magical Max, Kairaki Spur and Rockcent) while Matthew Williamson scored a double (Carlin and Practical Magic).
