EF NOV 27 - ZERO ROCK’S DOUBLE SUCCESS, ENOUGH TO BRING A TEAR TO THE EYE

By Graham Potter | Monday, November 29, 2010

Eagle Farm, November 27, 2010.
Track - Good. Rail - out 2.5m. Penetrometer - 5.
F&M Classic Plate - 1200m.
Time: 1-09.45. Last 600: 35.25. (Carrying 55.5kg).
1 Zero Rock; 2 Phenomenal Lass; 3 Swiss Rose.
Margins: Long-neck. Short-half-head.

Trainer Kelso Wood is not one to trumpet his triumphs. He is polite and quiet to the point where, on occasions it can be difficult to extract more than one word answer from him to any given question. There is nothing nasty in it. It is just his way.

On other occasions he can be quite forthcoming, as he was when giving a detailed background description of his winner to HRO after the mare Zero Rock had won, beating Aspiran, at Eagle Farm on November 13.

It was just as well that conversation took place, because when Zero Rock completed a double success at Eagle Farm on Saturday, we had a better understanding of why even the one word answers had disappeared altogether.

Now there was just the nod of a head from Wood in reply to questions from the media. Wood was not trusting his voice and his poker face was only betrayed by the tear in his eye. This was a very emotional win for the trainer.

That conversation of November 13 is repeated under WINNER FEEDBACK, so that you too can understand what the recent run of success of Zero Rock meant to Kelso Wood, who has a long history with the mare’s owners and the list of progeny delivered by the Zero Rock’s mother Broc ‘N’ Roll, who was also trained by Wood.

In seeing off the slightly unlucky challenge of Phenominal Lass (who was held up on more than one occasion in the running) and the spirited challenge of Swiss Rose, Zero Rock snared her first Black Type win and took her record to an enviable nine wins from seventeen starts with $477 550.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Kelso Wood (Speaking after Zero Rock’s previous win on November 13): “She had a problem (talking about Zero Rock’s ten month absence from the track). She hurt her shoulder. She sort of went down and her leg went like that and she hurt her shoulder. Just slipped on the going.

“She was going beautiful too.

“I persevered. I used to take her down to the beach every day … walk her through the water trying to level her fitness and that.

‘She came good and I gave her a couple of gallops and then all of a sudden she went sore again. I had no option but to put her out. I had to give her a long spell to get over it. Luckily she’s got over it.

“She nearly died as a foal. The mare stood on her and fractured her hock.

“She had to spend a bit of time at the Scone hospital. There she picked up a virus and nearly died.

“I didn’t think she would be any good through that, because they get scarring of the lungs and that, but other than that shoulder setback, I’ve never had a problem with her.

“I just persevered and it was great to see her do that.”

Jockey Chris Munce: “She is a lovely relaxed filly. Kelso (Wood) had done a terrific job with her.

“There was pressure. A couple of them did go early, but she knuckled down to the task really well.

“From where I was drawn it was a bit awkward, so I couldn’t be doing too many jockey tricks and trying to do too much magic.

“I just had to be positive and put her into the race. I knew she was the best horse and I just rode her that way.

“From where I sort of grabbed hold of her at about the 1000 there until we turned for home I was very happy with the way she travelled.

“She was racing well within herself … travelling … and breathing really well, so I was happy.

“I did give her a little breather mid-race. That’s probably one of the good things about her. She can soak up that pressure. She is a high speed horse.

“Probably the last 100 I was a bit concerned because there wasn’t that much left in the tank.

“The last bit she had probably had enough, but that was to be expected with the way she worked early.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Zero Rock): 1.75 in to 1.40.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Dual Chamber was declared a late scratching at 3.28 pm when the mare refused to proceed to the barriers.

Trainer R. Lipp was advised that Dual Chamber must compete satisfactorily in an official barrier trial prior to its next race start.

Prior to correct weight, P. Hammersley, rider of Floramour, reported to stewards that his barrier gate was slow to open.

After viewing the footage of the start, and acting under the provisions of AR134A, stewards were of the view that Floramour had been denied a fair start and its chances in the race materially prejudiced, and accordingly, Floramour was declared a non runner.

Near the 1000m, Irish Dream (J. Bowditch), after being momentarily contacted by Phenomenal Lass (M. Cahill), shifted in, tightening the running of Flowerchild (L. Cassidy).

Flowerchild then commenced to race ungenerously and a short distance later faltered.

Aladah (K. Wharton) over-raced in the middle stages and near the 600m had to be checked off the heels of Phenomenal Lass (M. Cahill).

Phenomenal Lass was held up rounding the home turn and again in the early part of the straight until after passing the 300m.

Aladah (K. Wharton) was held up in the early part of the straight and after passing the 400m was awkwardly placed at the heels of Phenomenal Lass and shifted to the inside of that runner to obtain clear running.

Cicarelli (M. Wood) was held up and unable to improve in the early part of the home straight and until near the 300m.

Passing the 200m, Phenomenal Lass (M. Cahill) shifted out, resulting in Irish Dream having to be steadied to avoid the heels of Phenomenal Lass. M. Cahill, rider of Phenomenal Lass, was severely reprimanded.

Beyonce's Star (B. Stewart), Acquired (B. El-Issa) and Fly To Win (J. Taylor) raced wide throughout.

G. Colless was questioned regarding the performance of Gag Order. He explained that the mare travelled well and upon straightening accelerated for a short distance, however failed to respond to his riding inside the 300m and proved disappointing.

A post race veterinary examination of Gag Order failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.

More articles