Rock On Wood makes emphatic return

[Chief Stipe]

After the best part of a year away from racing, Rock On Wood made an emphatic return to competition at Hastings yesterday when he stormed home to win the Nadeem 1300.

The Redwood gelding showed a tremendous turn of foot to come from last at the turn and surge past his opposition in the hands of Ryan Elliot, the son of trainer and Leanne Elliot and grandson of one of the four-year-old’s owners.

“It was a pretty good win, he was a bit further back than I thought, but the way he did it was good,” Leanne Elliot said. “It was also great to have Ryan on board for the win.”

Elliot added that it was a relief to get the four-year-old back to the track after such a long absence, his previous start being an unplaced run in the Gr. 3 Manawatu Classic at Awapuni last March.

“I had him in early and he worked well, but just didn’t hold his condition, he was just growing,” Elliot said. “I put him out for about six weeks and then got him up again and he cut his leg, so he had a couple of stitches. I have just had to bide my time a bit with him.”

Rock on Wood showed any amount of promise as a three-year-old, winning twice and finishing fourth in the Gr. 1 Levin Classic and Gr. 2 Waikato Guineas, and Elliot said connections have had to knock back some sizeable offers.

“We have had quite a bit of interest in him but Mum likes to race her horses and isn’t keen to sell,” she said.

Elliot isn’t planned too far ahead with Rock on Wood, the main aim being to get him through his first run safely. However, the Levin trainer is now considering a trip to Trentham next month.

“I just wanted to get through this one and keep him in one piece,” she said. “I’ll take every race as it comes. I’ll probably look at going to Wellington and see how he comes through this one. We’ll just see how the tracks hold up.”

 

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