On The Rocks flying Ballymore’s flag
Ballymore Stables is back in the Derby game after current star three-year-old On The Rocks burst into calculations with victory in Saturday’s Avondale Guineas.
Going into the major lead-up to the $1 million Vodafone New Zealand Derby, hopes around On The Rocks were diminished by a track that had been hammered by last week’s weather, but the grey colt was up to the test as he dug deep for a narrow win over emerging filly Danzdanzdance.
This time last year Savile Row had been widely touted to add another New Zealand Derby to Mike Moroney and partners’ previous wins with Great Command (1996), Cut The Cake (2000) and Xcellent the following year. Group One seconds at his two previous starts were the right credentials for Savile Row, but on the day it wasn’t to be.
Now Mike Moroney and his Matamata-based training partner Pam Gerard have good reason to be at least as confident heading into the Ellerslie classic on Saturday week. On The Rocks, a son of former star Matamatatrained galloper Alamosa and closely related to VRC Derby and Melbourne Cup winner Efficient, first put up his hand when he followed a late spring maiden win with victory in a 1500-metre stakes race at Ellerslie.
After a third placing in the Auckland Guineas on Boxing Day and a midfield finish in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic, the step up to 2100 metres in the Avondale Guineas was D (for Derby) day, and he rose to the occasion by settling well for stable rider Jake Bayliss and finding plenty when it mattered most.
On The Rocks is now the highest rated Matamata candidate for the Derby as $6.50 third favourite, while the Richardson/ Parker-trained Waikato Guineas winner Xbox is also well up the TAB’s fixed odds market at $10.
Cody Cole, one of the newcomers to Matamata training ranks, landed his best win to date with the talented filly Astor at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Cody, the son of Te Kauwhata horseman Tony Cole, trains a small racing team and between him and his partner, premiershipleading jockey Samantha Collett, keeps busy with breaking-in and pre-training work.
Victory by the Gary Hardingowned Astor was also a milestone for Sam, taking her current season tally to 81 wins and bettering the mark she set last season when finishing sixth on the premiership. She’s making every post a winner this time round, riding with supreme confidence for a 17-win lead over defending champion Chris Johnson.