Filly set to rock
ROCK Baby Roll is as green as grass but showed yesterday afternoon at Cannon Park that the Tony Comerford-trained filly could earn a few more wins over her career.
First-up since her race debut in July of this year, the three-year-old shifted out abruptly in the Cairns straight but was good enough to hold on in the QTIS Three-YearsOld Maiden Handicap (950m).
Beaten by Tawhiri earlier this year, Rock Baby Roll was sent out as the public elect and did the job for the punters in the first of the afternoon, scoring by half a length from Cool Attitude.
Comerford, who has trained four winners from his last five starters, is optimistic his filly can build from her maiden triumph.
“The horses are going well at the moment. I am having a bit of luck,” Comerford said.
“We were a bit unsure, she went in without a trial because we got washed out last week.
“We were a bit hesitant, but we thought she would go well, and that was good. “She is a bit green.” Rock Baby Roll led from start to finish over the sprint trip.
Punters would have had their hearts in their mouth at the 250m mark when Rock Baby Roll looked to lose her way, with Jack Reacher screaming up the inside, but Chelsea Jokic straightened her up and finished off the job.
Rhiannon Payne rode Rock Baby Roll on debut in July but was replaced by Jokic yesterday, with the pilot pleased with the way the youngster performed.
“She is still really green but she did a good job to win,” Jokic said.
“She was slow away and I thought we were going to get squeezed out for a bit, but she got up there and travelled.
“I gave her one with the stick and she ran out, she will improve a lot from that. She has a lot of ability, but she is very green and does not know what she is doing just yet.”
Meanwhile, 28-start maiden Buxton finally broke through for his first victory of his well-travelled career in the Maiden Plate (1250m).
Recently acquired by Tablelands trainer Lisa Donovan, Buxton took two starts to crack a winner in the north, after going 27 without a triumph in the south of Queensland. Experienced hoop Kerry Rockett rode Buxton positively, with the gelding dropping back from 1400m last start.