Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Star Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Chris Voak has always had reservations about Maximum Rock and his character to fight hard in his races.
But Voak is changing his opinion and is looking forward to the WA-bred five-year-old being competitive in rich feature events in the summer.
Maximum Rock, a $6.20 chance from out wide at barrier No. 7, revealed improved strength when he scored a fighting victory in the $25,000 Cash Converters Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Voak sent Maximum Rock forward after the gelding had settled down in seventh position and he raced in the breeze outside the $1.85 favourite Captainshavtime for two circuit before digging deep in the home straight to get up in the final couple of strides to beat the pacemaker by a neck, rating 1.56.2 after final quarters of 28.6sec. and 28.5sec.
“I didn’t think he was able to do what he has been doing lately,” said an admiring Voak. “He has definitely stepped up and has got tougher.
“I went to slot in early, but we were unable to get that position (in the one-wide line) and I decided against going back. This was a drop-in class to some degree, and he has been running some fourths and fifths in Free-For-Alls from bad draws.
“He is essentially a sit and sprint horse, and for him to run the time he did tonight was good. He is a quirky horse and generally if he is not on, he will start to lug out and drop the bit about the 600m.
“But tonight he was the opposite, and he actually tried to get on terms with the leader. When he is switched on, he shows he is ready for a dog fight. And you saw that in the final 50 metres tonight. If the wrong horse turns up, he gets beaten.
“It is very much a mental attitude with him. His past seven or eight runs have been very good. We do little things with him at home to keep his head guessing.
“Coming into the summer carnival I might see if I can turn into a Sangue Reale type with a soft trip on the fence and be prominent in the better races.”
Despite his perceived shortcomings Maximum Rock has won six metro-class events and has earned $171,262 from 12 wins and 19 placings from 63 starts.
Aiden De Campo and Dylan Egerton-Green landed doubles at Friday night’s meeting, with De Campo scoring with the Glenn Elliott-trained eight-year-old Twobob Cracker and his own nomination, Captain Said So.
Twobob Cracker ($11) enjoyed an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position before finishing strongly to get up and beat the pacemaker Lady Camel ($6) in the 2536m Marmion Street Fresh and Gourmet Westbred Pace.
Four-year-old Captain Said So ($1.50 favourite) began from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line and burst to the front after 700m before beating the early leader Spudmeister ($4.20) by more than two lengths.
Egerton-Green trained and drove A Precious Gem ($7.80) and Im Lightning Banner ($1.50) for their wins. A Precious Gem led for the first 500m and then trailed the pacemaker Im Category Five ($4) in the 2130m End Polio Pace for three-year-old fillies before getting clear 110m from the post to go on and win from the fast-finishing El Raes Girl and Im Category Five.
Im Lightning Banner outclassed his rivals in the 2130m Cleversure Smart Insurance Pace and looks set for many more victories.
Kylah Madden drove $2.60 favourite Art Ideal, trained by Phil Henwood, to an all-the-way win in the Rotary Club of Fremantle Pace, and Rakero Raider ($3.50), trained by Craig Saligari and driven confidently by Liam Elliott, relished his frontrunning role when he scored an easy victory over Call To Arms ($41) in the 1730m ARG Pace.