Cup sponsor also lands winner on day
ON a picturesque afternoon at the Gordonvale Turf Club, it was fitting the day started with a local winner.
Gordonvale’s Ray Moller teamed up with owner and breeders of Rothstock’n’Bella, Brett Dawson and John Piccone, to collect their first win with the horse from 10 starts.
After the trio sent Roth’n’bell to Townsville with no luck at all on Thursday afternoon, their other Bella Sirena product gave them a winner on the day named after Brett’s father, Bill Dawson.
Hoop Kerry Rockett stalked favourite Fast Sun, trained by Janel Ryan, down the straight before sticking his neck out on the line to get the money.
Moller praised Dawson’s efforts to sponsor the race day, as well as breed Rothstock’n’Bella and believes the horse has a big future at the track.
“It is a really good day for this owning group,” Moller said. “He is a big, slow learner this horse.
“They have bred him to run over more distance and hopefully this time next year, he is a Gordonvale Cup horse. But, that is a long way away yet.”
On Thursday at Cluden Park, Roth’n’bell was bumped heavily on jumping, causing the horse to blunder badly and lose considerable ground.
Moller said the horse pulled up well despite the near fall and will have a couple of weeks off before returning.
The race played out just as jockey Rockett thought it would.
“Things panned out like we wanted, we thought the horse to beat was the one of the Ryan’s,” he said.