In Brief
- Rough Road keeps unbeaten record this preparation intact.
- Powerful finish a big asset for West Quest gelding.
- Blacker unsure of Rough Road's immediate future.
Trainer John Blacker is unsure where to take his talented four-year-old Rough Road following the gelding’s impressive win in a class three handicap over 1150 metres in Devonport on Sunday.
Rough Road ($5) settled second-last in the small field of seven but rider Bulent Muhcu always had the gelded son of West Quest in touch with the main body of the field.
Fitzwilliam ($5) led with Harriman ($4.40) on his outside with Lesnar ($6) caught three-wide for the trip.
Harriman forged to the lead at the top of the home straight but when Muhcu called on Rough Road for the big effort he rounded up the leaders and went on to score by almost a half-length from Harriman with Lesnar battling on gamely for third.
The favourite Newhart ($2.80) travelled one-out and on the back of Harriman to the home turn but when the leaders sprinted, the Leanne Gaffney-trained gelding appeared to be left flat-footed, but he was also hampered when Lesnar laid in under pressure.
Blacker was delighted with the win.
“We have always had a decent opinion of this horse and that makes it three wins from five starts so he has above average ability,” Blacker said.
“We’ve given him plenty of time to mature and now the owners are being rewarded for their patience.
“He’s come a long way since his win on debut in April but where we go from here is unsure.
“I’ll see how he pulls up and have a good look at the calendar because the way he’s going this time in there could be a feature race for him during the carnival because he is capable of getting over more ground, probably up to a mile (1600m).”
Blacker ended the day with a double courtesy of Rodessa scoring a game win in a maiden-class one over 1880 metres.
Ismail Toker had Rodessa settled near the rear of the field, but the five-year-old mare was always travelling comfortably and when the rider eased her three-wide to improve she grabbed the bit, charged around the field and went on to score by a length from Sizzkye and Captain Morgan.
Sizzkye ran about in the straight and caused interference to Captain Morgan, whose rider successfully protested against Sizzkye to be upgraded to second.
It also was a double for Toker who won earlier in the day aboard Gee Gee Queen Bee for Brighton trainer Stuart Gandy, who missed the meeting as he is recovering from surgery on the leg that was broken in a track mishap over three months ago.
Watch Rough Road score an impressive win in a class three handicap over 1150 metres in Devonport on Sunday.