Hoop’s hopes ride on Rocco
JOCKEY Pietro Romeo had to think with his head and his heart when selecting his Atherton Cup ride this year.
The 37-year-old has been aboard both of Stephen Potiris’ stayers, Yankee Tango and Rocco, for much of their preparations, previously having to decide between the two when they were in the same race.
Romeo lifted the Mareeba Cup just a few weeks ago with Yankee Tango and this week had to make the tough decision to jump off him, and will this afternoon leg-up Rocco in the $16,000 Cup at Morrow Park.
The 2019 winner of the race, on board Buxton that time, says it was a difficult call to make between the two Cassowary Coast stayers, but says the character of Rocco was what swayed his decision.
“If you would have asked me last week, I would have said Rocco is the better of the two, hands down,” Romeo said.
“Stephen always has his horses super rock hard fit and Yankee Tango went off the boil for a little bit but he is back to near his best now.
“Rocco is a tougher horse mentally.
“The talk out of trackwork this week is Yankee Tango worked over Rocco.
“Yankee Tango will handle the track, he has been there before, whereas Rocco, I am not sure he will handle coming downhill at Atherton, but we will see.
“I think Rocco is the better horse of the two, even if he is getting to near the end of his prep.”
It is a high-quality edition of the Atherton Cup with much of the field backing up from the Cairns Cup just a few weeks ago.
Potiris is considering taking the stayers to the southeast of the state later in the year.
Ricky Ludwig’s Windmill Lane returns to racing this afternoon as well in the Open sprint, heading towards the Johnstone River Handicap at Innisfail later this year.
It will be a six-event nonTAB program from Atherton Turf Club today.
Meanwhile, Cairns’ Krysten Swaffer and Trevor Rowe make the long trip to Mackay today for the NQ Classic QTIS 3YO & 4YO Benchmark 65 Handicap (1800m).
Rowe has stayer Southern Swing in the $25,000 event, to be ridden by Swaffer.
Swaffer has a strong book of rides today from the sugar city, with six chances, taking two each for trainers John Manzelmann and Ian Shaw, among other trainers.