Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
A fast lead time of 35.7sec. and then quick second and third quarters of 29.8sec. and 28.7sec. played into the hands of noted sit-sprinter Rockaball, who unwound a typical flourishing finishing burst to win the 2130m Celebrate NYE Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Micheal Ferguson was quite content to restrain the $4.20 chance Rockaball to the rear while Rockstar Rebel (the $3.50 favourite), Whoswhointhezoo ($13) and The Kraken ($6) were engaged in a titanic struggle for the early ascendancy.
Rockstar Rebel was the fastest out from barrier five and he led by a length but was unable to cross to the pegs. The Kraken then took the lead from Whoswhointhezoo after 400m and he set a brisk pace, with Rockaball settling down in tenth position.
Ferguson dashed Rockaball forward, three wide, approaching the bell and the seven-year-old sprinted strongly to hit the front 250m from home before winning by a half-length from $7 chance Manning, who fought on doggedly after racing wide early and then without cover.
The New Zealand-bred Rockaball, trained by Caris Hamilton-Smith, won at two of his 12 New Zealand starts, and his 38 WA starts have produced 11 wins and seven placings for earnings of $111,135. He cost $40,000 landed in WA and has been a splendid acquisition for his owners, Hamilton-Smith’s father Geordie and her uncle Lindsay Hamilton-Smith.
Rockaball has been a consistent performer since he resumed racing after being out of action for 23 months, between July 2019 and June 2021. He was off the scene after complications set in after he stood on a fencing nail in his paddock. Surgery was required to dig out the infection, and then it took several months for the foot to re-grow.