Win sets up Vic-NZ Cups assault

By Michael Howard (HRV)

With a sweeping blitz to the line Rock N Roll Doo rewarded the long-held faith of his connections and not only captured a Group 1, but built on a want to chase even greater riches.

Trainer-driver Michael Stanley outlined a plan to attack the October 8 Pryde’s EasiFeed Victoria Cup before a tilt at the November 8 New Zealand Cup with his four-year-old, who mowed down two of the biggest names in Australasian pacing to claim a first Group 1.

The VHRC Caduceus Classic didn’t disappoint with frantic first and third quarters over the sprint distance at Tabcorp Park Melton, a tempo that saw the race favourites overrun and Rock N Roll Doo the most menacing of all chasers.

“Gee I couldn’t hold him slow enough tonight, he was on,” Stanley said of the winner, who settled three back in the running line while Copy That set down a 26.7-second first quarter to lead from Tango Tara.

Honolua Bay soon advanced to the breeze and there was little respite through a 29.6 second quarter and 27.1 third quarter, during which Rock N Roll Doo made his move.

By the final turn he had the lead pair’s number and while a group of dynamic sit-sprinters gave chase none threatened to steal his crown.

“I always knew when he got into a race like this, that is just a genuine tempo the whole way, he’s fast enough to follow that strong tempo and still finish off,” Stanley said.

“In saying that I was three-wide without cover from the 700, it’s not as if I came off a cold sit at the top of the straight either. He’s very strong, but he does have a good turn of foot.”

Rock N Roll Doo scored by five metres from Max Delight who scorched home in a race best 27.1-second final quarter, with congestion initially delaying his attack as third-placed Bulletproof Boy and fourth-placed Willie Go West also hunted the line.

Of the beaten favourites, Honolua Bay faded to fifth from the breeze and finished 16 metres off the pace, breaking his eight-race unbeaten streak since joining trainer Emma Stewart.

“The tempo didn’t back off when I thought it would and he had to do it pretty tough, but I still thought he went super,” his reinsman Mark Pitt told TrotsVision.