NEWS
Road To Rock springs upset in George Main Stakes
Posted: Saturday, September 26, 2009 3:35 PM
by Tim Nichols
Long odds and the presence of champion Racing To Win did nothing to dampen trainer Anthony Cummings' confidence in Road To Rock in the Arrowfield Stud George Main Stakes (Aus-G1) on Saturday at Randwick.
Road To Rock justified his trainer’s faith with a powerful run in the straight, pulling away to his first victory at the highest level.
“I’ve always thought he was a Group 1 horse,” Cummings told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I gave him half a dozen tries last season, but he just couldn’t find that length when he needed. … He had the mindset and the motor last time in, but didn’t have the body.”
Court Command set the early pace in the 1,600-meter (7.95-furlong) race. Entering the straight, Onemorenomore surged to the lead, but Road To Rock and Black Piranha charged into contention from the outside.
Road To Rock pulled away in the final 150 meters to secure his first group stakes win, covering the distance in 1:35.50 on turf rated as good. Black Piranha battled back gamely to finish a half-length behind in second. Onemorenomore held on for third.
Entering off consecutive sixth-place finishes in the Emirates Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Aus-G1) on April 25 and the Tramway Handicap (Aug-G3) on September 5, Road To Rock had plenty of energy in reserve in the George Main at odds of 40.80-to-1.
“This time it’s all there and this race is a bonus along the way,” Cummings told the Australian Associated Press. Cummings said the five-year-old Encosta de Lago horse will be pointed to the Arrowfield Stud Epsom Handicap (Aus-G1) on October 3 at Randwick and then the Tatts W. S. Cox Plate (Aus-G1) on October 24 at Moonee Valley.
Favorite Racing To Win turned in a disappointing performance, fading to finish next-to-last in the ten-horse field. Racing To Win, Australia’s champion three-year-old male of 2006 and a five-time Group 1 winner, chased the early pace from third but flattened out in the straight.
“I knew he was out of contention at the 1,000-meter [mark],” Racing To Win’s jockey, Hugh Bowman, said.
Road To Rock is out of the Midyan mare Trewornan (GB), a full sister group stakes winner Central City (GB).
Tim Nichols is internet content editor for Thoroughbred Times
