Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
New Zealand-bred gelding Rockaball is the oldest runner in the $50,000 Binshaw Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night but he is poised to cause an upset and beat his younger rivals in the Group 2 feature event.
Rockaball will start from the No. 4 barrier in the 2130m race, and trainer Caris Hamilton-Smith and reinsman Micheal Ferguson are optimistic about the seven-year-old’s winning prospects at his third appearance after a spell.
“He was super first-up (when he finished powerfully from eighth at the bell to be second to the pacemaker Plutonium) and then we pulled the wrong rein last Friday night by going back at the start,” said Hamilton-Smith.
“He still went super, and his sections were very good. Fergie said that he felt as good as he ever has, if not even better. He has shown that he is a good frontrunner, but he’s best suited as a sit-sprinter. So, we’re hoping for a bit of speed early and tuck him in before having one good crack at them late.”
Last Friday night Rockaball settled down in seventh position before he started a three-wide burst approaching the bell. He fought on solidly to finish fourth behind the pacemaker Lord Rosco and he impressed in covering the final 800m in 55.6sec.
Friday night’s event looks wide open, with talented four-year-old Mr Fantastic the likely favourite, despite his somewhat awkward draw on the inside of the back line.
Mr Fantastic, trained at Boyanup by Justin Prentice, will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr, who has won the Binshaw Classic with Classic American in 2015 and Alta Intrigue last year. Classic American led all the way and beat Erskine Range and Medley Moose, while Alta Intrigue raced in the one-out, one-back position before finishing strongly to snatch a last-stride victory by a nose over the pacemaker Al Guerrero.
“It’s a good race, and Mr Fantastic is going super,” said Hall. “It should be an up-tempo race and there’s a chance I’ll stay there (on the pegs) and try to get out later.”
Mr Fantastic began brilliantly from barrier six when he burst straight to the front and then set a brisk pace to score an easy victory over Illawong Mustang at a 1.58.1 rate over 2536m last Friday night. That was Mr Fantastic’s eleventh win from 23 starts.
Friday night’s event will see the return of brilliant four-year-old Machnificent, who faces a stern test from the outside of the back line. The stallion, trained by Katja Warwick, has warmed up for this week’s assignment in fine style with three trials at Pinjarra in August.
He was most impressive in a 2185m trial on Thursday of last week when he set the pace and dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.2sec. and 28.9sec. to win by 12 lengths from Richie Reactor, rating 1.57.3.
“Barrier 12 is not ideal first-up, but it’s a starting point said Warwick. “He’s up against some talented horses on Friday night. There’s a lot more ahead of him to be focusing on, and you have got to have a starting point at some stage.”
Outstanding trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who won the Binshaw Classic in 2020 with Patronus Star, hold a strong hand in Friday night’s race, with recent winners Socrates at barrier five and Markham Eyre at No. 6.
Socrates and Markham Eyre have each won nine races, and they will have many admirers, as will Plutonium, American Arma and Talks Up A Storm.
With Hall opting to drive Mr Fantastic, trainer Michael Young has engaged Emily Suvaljko for six-year-old Plutonium, who is in top form with three wins and a third behind Hampton Banner in his current campaign. He has a tough barrier at No. 6 but cannot be left out of calculations.
The Colin Brown trained and driven American Arma finished strongly to score an impressive victory over Three Rumours and Miss Lamarr last Friday night, while trainer Murray Lindau’s Talks Up A Storm is favourably drawn at barrier three