Sir Rockford to bounce back at Sandown

[Wandering Eyes]

It will be a while before Aaron Laing ventures interstate again with Sir Rockford (NZ) (Shocking).

The Cranbourne-based trainer is content to stay at home and hopefully pick up a second city midweek victory with the galloper in the Ladbroke It! Handicap (2100m) at Sandown on Wednesday.

Sir Rockford provided Laing with his maiden city success at Sandown on June 14 before the pair travelled to Rosehill for a race over 1800m on July 1.

The trip did not turn out as expected with Sir Rockford beating only two horses to the line.

“He resented being away from home, he hated it,” Laing said.

“He’s always been difficult if you go and add anything new to him.

“He didn’t eat much, and I was almost going to scratch, but I had a chat to the ownership group, and I told them to not go mad on the punt.

“I said to have a little on him because I think he’s good enough, don’t go crazy, but he was very uninterested in being at Rosehill.”

That disappointing display at Rosehill was the worst performance of Sir Rockford’s 12 start career that has seen the gelding register three wins and five minor placings.

Wednesday’s outing will be Sir Rockford’s ninth for the campaign which, after the Rosehill disappointment, concerns Laing that the gelding may have come to the end of his preparation.

But Laing won’t know fully until Sir Rockford competes in the 2100m race in which he has drawn barrier 14 under Ben Melham.

“There is a small worry that he might be at the end of it this time in, but he seems fine,” Laing said.

“He’s happy, he’s eating well and working well at home, so I can’t see why it should be a problem.

“All the outward signs are positive, it’s just whether his brain works.

“I know we’ve drawn out in 14, but he’s a type of horse where we jump and settle wherever anyway.”

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