Our Rocky Bay put his game-day face through a bridle twice this week and the quick turnaround didn’t dim his hopes for back-to-back wins at Ascot.
The 4yo son of Awesome Rock ran right through the line in the Belhus Racing Hcp (1400m) last Sunday and was good enough to overcome difficulties in the Peters Investments Hcp (1400m) on Saturday.
Awesome Rock pictured at Gold Front
Our Rocky Bay is prepared by Ted Martinovich for Martin Epis and Roy Harper who have banked $240,000 elevated by Westspeed Bonuses of $58,000. He was posted wide from the 1400m start at Ascot yesterday and was taken off the track when Mister Raffles (God Has Spoken) veered out sharply on the home turn.
“He didn’t jump as well as usual today and that meant he had to work,” Martinovich said. “I can’t say what I really thought on the corner. I wasn’t too happy but he recovered and kept hanging on.
“It was six days between runs and I didn’t do anything with him in between. He’s in good order and we will step him up to 1600m in a fortnight.”
Roy Harper bred Our Rocky Bay in partnership with Eddie Rigg (Geisel Park) using Gold Front Thoroughbreds stallion Awesome Rock (Fastnet Rock) who has sired several other city winners in recent weeks like Rocking Gem, Canny Rock and Terrati.
His Darley-bred dam Joyeux (Lonhro) was a Melbourne winner for Lee Freedman and she has an unraced 2yo Awesome Rock filly named Joyoh. Her most recent cover was at Geisel Park by Manhattan Rain in October.
Manhattan Rain kicked off an Eastern States feature double for the Geisel Park roster on Saturday when his 3yo filly Benagil won the $500,000 VOBIS Platinum Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield.
Benagil scored an emotional victory for rookie conditioner Glen Thompson who took over the running of Ballymore Stables following the recent passing of his training partner Mike Moroney. The Manhattan Rain filly will be set for the G1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville on April 26.
Winning Rupert (Written Tycoon) also lit up the Geisel roster with Iowna Merc winning the G2 Ajax Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill. It sent his earnings through $1 million and trainer Bjorn Baker has him Group 1-nominated for the Doncaster Mile (1600m) and T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 5.
