The fairytale story of Rock Me Over continued at Gloucester Park on Friday night when the six-year-old charged home to win the 2536m Westral Pace.
The WA-bred gelding certainly is proving one of the sport’s best bargain buys. Serpentine trainer Matt Scott and stable clients Tony Maguire and his son Ian outlaid $6000 to purchase Rock Me Over two years ago, and in 74 starts since then he has chalked up nine wins, 13 seconds and 12 thirds for earnings of $163,718.
He is a younger half-brother of star pacer and 2017 WA Derby winner Handsandwheels, who has amassed $666,739 in stakes from 28 wins and 26 placings from 83 starts.
Rock Me Over, a $12.70 chance, was driven in fine style by Shannon Suvaljko, who had the gelding handily placed in sixth position in the one-wide line while the polemarker and $19 chance Beach Skipper set the pace, with the $3.50 favourite Major Stare in the breeze.
Major Stare eventually got his nose in front 350m from home, but he was swamped in the closing stages by Rock Me Over and Power And Grace.
“People have been knocking Rock Me Over, but we just laughed,” said Scott. “He has paid a lot of bills.”
By Ken Casellas