From rocks to diamonds
If he can learn to behave himself, Heaven Rocks can mount a serious challenge to threaten Lazarus’ crown as the best pacer in the country.
Lazarus is seemingly the perfect 3200m horse but remarkably he could have a serious challenge on his hands just to be the top dog in the All Stars stable heading into November’s New Zealand Trotting Cup.
A 10-length winner of New Zealand’s richest standardbred race in 2016, Lazarus seemingly only had to show up in 2017 to defend his crown. But then along came the curious case of Heaven Rocks.
The gigantic pacer jogged his way to a two and a half-length win in the $100,000 Group I Easter Cup at Addington on Saturday night.
That might sound impressive, but given he handicapped himself by 10 lengths when he galloped away from the tapes, it was a freakish win that almost had to be seen to be believed.
In a TV interview, his driver and co-trainer Natalie Rasmussen’s harsh but justified assessment summed up the talented but troublesome pacer perfectly.
Rasmussen, who trains in partnership with Mark Purdon, said Heaven Rocks was a great athlete but had horrible manners and was lacking in the brains department.
With shades of Terror To Love’s third Cup victory in 2013, Heaven Rocks gave the field a head start, regathered himself and charged around the field to be in the lead after less than three-quarters of a lap. Given the ease of Heaven Rocks’ win, it would be a scary thought to think what he might be able to do when he does mature.
Even in the final stages of the 3200m Easter Cup trip, as he finished off his last half mile in 54.1 seconds, Heaven Rocks turned his head to the side and goofed his way to the finish line.
The strapping son of Rock N Roll Heaven paced the 3200m in 3:58.7 with a final quarter of 26.5.
Captain Dolmio made the most of an economical trip on the markers to run into an eyecatching second, one and quarter lengths in front of comeback pacer Maxim who finished third.
Earlier in the night, Spankem, a $1.40 favourite, had a torrid run in the Garrards Sires Stakes heat for two-year-old colts and geldings, but his class still managed to get him to a seemingly unlikely long neck victory.
In the hands of Purdon, Spankem was caught three wide for a good portion of the 1950m trip but fortune favoured the brave when he was able to slip into the one-one when a tired Cole Porter drifted backwards. The Bettor’s Delight colt needed all of his brilliance to run down a game Aloka and bring up the second win of his promising career.
Meanwhile, Springbank Lachie achieved the rare feat of winning a Group III race on debut. Trained by Phil Williamson and driven by his son Brad, Springbank Lachie was a one and three-quarter length winner in the Aorangi Foundation NZ two-year-old Trotting Stakes.
Springbank Lachie beat Aoraki with a further one and threequarter lengths back to the third placed Renezmae.