SCST OCT 02 - ROCKIN’ REES LEADS THEM A MERRY DANCE

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Sunshine Coast, October 2, 2011.
Track - Good 3: Rail - out 6m.
Maiden Handicap - 1000m.
1 Rockin' Rees; 2 Not Declared; 3 Sisteron; 4 Repetitious.
Time: 1-00.15. Last 600m: 35.57.

Trainer Robert Bradshaw pulled a rabbit out of the hat when he sent out the five-year-old, first-timer Rockin’ Rees ($5.50) in fighting fettle for his debut performance.

The son of Springsteen might have lacked experience, but nobody would have known that the way he gathered speed soon after the start to chase up into the lead.

Once there he was good enough to dictate the pattern of the race. He kicked early in the straight and established what turned out to be a winning advantage as he maintained his effort to the line in a strong enough fashion to see off the late charge of the $3.40 favourite Not Declared with something to spare.

The fact that Not Declared was having his thirty-first start and has still to visit the winners’ enclosure does say something about the quality of the field that was spread out behind Rockin’ Rees, but all any horse can do is win and when that success comes in a horse’s first start … and that as a five-year-old … it is a good result.

Rockin’ Rees is owned by D S Morgan, Ms T M Waldron and D J Nutley.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Bradshaw: “He was broken in and educated. They brought him up to me as a educated horse.

“I think he had about six trials. I actually got Shane Shield up here to trial him on Tuesday. He said he goes good. Shane said he’d like to ride him, but he weighs 72kg. He said can you keep him till I’m back? Anyhow, I couldn’t so we went out today.

“In all his trials he’s led, so I just said to Matty (Palmer) he should be in front. That was it. He was too strong for them.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Rockin’ Rees): 5.00 out to 5.50.
Favourite (Not Declared): 2.80 out to 3.40. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Sisteron (G. Goold) was slow into stride. Geneva's Ollie (M. Hellyer) began awkwardly.

Sisteron over-raced during the middle stages. Leaving the 700m Sisteron and Dancing King (B. Looker) bumped.

Moyharl (P. Keane) commenced to hang approaching the 800m until entering the straight, placing its rider at a disadvantage, and then raced greenly in the home straight. Trainer H. Van Hoeyen was advised that an official warning was being placed on the horse's racing manners.