He’s Our Rokkii has drifted out to 2015 Western Australian Guineas odds of $4.40, but jockey Damian Lane is confident that the talented gelding will be tough to beat in the Group 2 event at Ascot on Saturday.
Damian Lane is set to ride He’s Our Rokkii in the 2015 WA Guineas at Ascot on Saturday. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
He’s Our Rokkii made his Australian racing debut with a win at Benalla on September 15 and he did not have a great deal of luck in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on October 2, but he performed well without winning in the Movernpick Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on October 14 and the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on October 31.
Lane admits that He’s Our Rokkii will likely need some luck in running after drawing barrier 12, but he is confident that the son of Roc De Cambes is the class horse in the 2015 Western Australian Guineas.
“He is a talented horse,” Lane said.
“Barrier 12 again hurts and he has just been a victim of bad barriers this preparation.
“When he won at Benalla he was actually off the track, caught wide and then I gave him a horror at Moonee Valley.
“He was sound in his next two, but he was in the worst part of the track here on Derby Day and he reeled off quite well.
“Obviously the Mahuta form stood up and if he gets a bit of luck he is going to be winning.
“Obviously he has to travel, but it wasn’t long ago that he came over from New Zealand and he handled that well.
“Hopefully he handles the trip over there well and he gets a bit of luck.”
While He’s Our Rokkii has been on the drift in Western Australian Guineas betting markets, the early market mover has been Grant Williams-trained Arcadia Dream, who is into $3.70 to take out the Group 2 event.
Arcadia Dream started her racing career with two straight wins, but she did plenty wrong and managed to get herself beaten in the Listed Belgravia Stakes (1200m) at Ascot on October 21, the Listed Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) on October 31 and the Group 3 Western Australian Championship Stakes (1600m) on November 14.
Blackwood took out the Burgess Queen Stakes and she is on the third line of betting at a quote of $6, while runner-up Showy Chloe ($7.50) is the only other horse available at single figure odds.
There has been a sprinkling of support for George ‘N’ Ernie ($67 into $61), Express Snooper ($101 into $81) and Who Dat Singa ($34 into $31), while Universal Law ($15 out to $16) and Big Red Costa ($31 out to $51) have both been on the drift.
