Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Trainer-reinsman Chris Voak has done a tremendous job with Rock Artist, who has been affected by a nasty quarter crack in his near side hoof throughout his current preparation.
The Victorian-bred four-year-old, the $1.90 favourite in the Follow @Skyracingau On Instagram Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night, gave punters a scare when he galloped off the front line in the 2503m standing-start event.
But Voak quickly got him down into a pacing gait and he went straight to the front in the six-horse field which immediately developed into an Indian file affair, leaving the sole backmarker and $2.35 second fancy Im The Black Flash in fourth position after $101 outsider Master Leighton had galloped at the start and settled down a distant last.
Rock Artist was untroubled to coast over the opening quarters of the final mile in 30.8sec. and 30.3sec. before he dashed home with final 400m sections of 28.2sec. and 28sec.
Hall bided his time until he sent Im The Black Flash forward 550m from home. But Shannon Suvaljko quickly eased Franco Mecca ($11) off the pegs to force Im The Black Flash to race three wide for the remainder of the race.
Im The Black Flash ran home strongly to finish an excellent second, only a half-length behind the winner.
“Rock Artist was not at his best, and he won probably just because of his handicap advantage over Im The Black Flash,” said Voak. “Rock Artist has battled a quarter crack this whole preparation, and now I’ll give him a freshen-up and get him up again in six or seven weeks’ time. That will give him the chance for his foot to settle down.”
Rock Artist has been an extremely consistent performer whose 31 starts have produced ten wins, 11 seconds and three thirds for stakes of $120,453. He raced six times in Victoria for one win and four placings, and his two appearances in Tasmania resulted in wins in Launceston before he arrived in Western Australia where his 23 starts for Voak have resulted in seven wins and ten placings.