Heaven Rocks sold to US
FREAKISHLY talented pacer Heaven Rocks has been sold to American owners.
The sale of the star 5yrold was confirmed yesterday, Mosgiel partowner Phil Creighton said.
Creighton races the horse with wife Margaret, Phil and Glenys Kennard and Gavin Douglas, of Canterbury, and Kevin Riseley, of Victoria.
The decision to sell was easier for some of the horse’s other owners as they already had champion pacers Lazarus and Lennytheshark racing, Creighton said.
Heaven Rocks will be remembered as an exceptionally talented and unpredictable horse.
‘‘We liked him because he was a thrill machine. You wouldn’t know whether he was turning it on or not, but when he turned it on he gave us some great memories,’’ Creighton said.
The horse has the potential to run a stupendous mile time in North America if he is able adapt to life there.
‘‘In the Hunter Cup he came his last mile in 1.51.9 and that was at the end of nearly 2800m, so he should be good on a big track over a mile over there.
‘‘Natalie [cotrainer Natalie Rasmussen] was very keen to get him into the Miracle Mile. She just thought on a big track he would stride over a mile, but with him not getting into the field it probably made the decision.’’
Heaven Rocks missed the Miracle Mile field after running last in a leadup race last weekend.
The performance was put down to the horse not enjoying being stabled in a barn.
At home in Canterbury and in Melbourne the horse was able to spend more time outside.
‘‘He certainly didn’t like the distractions in a big barn. There was too much going on for him.
‘‘Melbourne he loved and he performed like that.’’
Winning last season’s Easter Cup is the top of the long list of fond memories the Creightons have of their star pacer.
‘‘I think last year’s Easter Cup when he rocketed around them, that was when I thought that we really have something special here.’’
‘‘He won the Jewels in 1.51 but you kind of expected him to win, but when he won the Easter Cup he was a wee bit wayward and people were holding their breath, but he was stunning.’’
The sale of Heaven Rocks was not the only major news to come out of the Purdon-Rasmussen camp yesterday.
In a shock move, Mark Purdon has replaced himself with Rasmussen as driver of Lazarus in Saturday night’s Miracle Mile.
‘‘It wasn’t a hard choice to make,’’ Purdon told The Daily Telegraph.
‘‘Obviously our team had a little bug through them last week and they didn’t race up to our expectations, and with that in mind, I want to concentrate on getting the best out of them this week.‘‘
‘‘That means me doing my job as a trainer to 100% and I think if I am busy doing that then I might only do an 85% job on the driving front.‘‘
‘‘This way Natalie can concentrate on the driving and make those decisions and I will handle the training details.’’