Rock On (NZ) Too Strong in Manawatu Cup

22 December 2018

Rock On (NZ) Claiming the 2018 G3 Manawatu Cup. Photo Credit: Race Images PNth
Rock On (NZ) Claiming the 2018 G3 Manawatu Cup. Photo Credit: Race Images PNth

$70,000 Select Sale purchase Rock On (NZ) (Road to Rock) completed his comeback from injury with a supreme staying performance in Saturday’s $100,000 Group Three Hotel Coachman Manawatu Cup (2200m) at Awapuni.

Rock On has always shown outstanding staying potential, winning the Listed New Zealand St Leger (2500m) and placing in the Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) in Sydney. There were high expectations of him last season until it was cut short by injury.

“He was showing so much, and it was heart-breaking when he broke down just before the Wellington Cup last season,” trainer and part-owner Gary Vile said. “He’s a dead-set stayer and he’s delivered today.”

After returning to racing with some strong-finishing performances over shorter distances in November and early December, Rock On roared back to top form in the Manawatu Cup.

Ridden by Robert Hannam, he sat in midfield before surging into contention in the straight and outfinishing his opposition to win by half a length.

“After I got off him last start, I said to Gary that he’d definitely run in the first three in the Cup,” Hannam said. “He’s just outstayed them in the end.”

Rock On has now had 33 starts for six wins, eight placings and $214,733 in prize-money – more than three times his purchase price at the 2014 Select Sale.

Vendor Wellfield Lodge
Purchaser Regal Farm Partnership (Hamilton)
Breeding Road to Rock – St Jessie
Sale Lot 832, 2014 Select Sale, $70,000
Bred by Miss TD Goss & WJ Bloodstock Ltd