Brian Gath urges Rocknrolla to Victoria Oaks heat success
Rocknrolla's hopes of providing a hometown win in the Nevele R Stud Victoria Oaks received a boost before Friday night's heats were even run at Melton's Tabcorp Park.
The filly considered the biggest threat to last season's Victorian 2YO Filly of the Year, New South Wales darling Lady Euthenia, was scratched from the second heat after injuring herself when getting in her stall overnight.
And the Emma Stewart-trained star's grip on next Friday night's $100,000 Group 1 final only strengthened after the first heat was run.
Not only did Rocknrolla win, but another of the top fancies for the final - Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown champion Led Suitcase - failed to obtain the top-six finished required to stay in the series.
Rocknrolla beat another New South Wales visitor, Charlotte Brew ($24), who travelled on Rocknrolla's back throughout, by a half-neck with Glenferrie Inn ($11) two metres away in third spot.
Princess Fiona ($39), Vapar Raine ($70) and Morgan Abby ($9) rounded out the top six to book their spots in the final.
The margin wasn't quite what favourite punters expected of a $1.40 chance starting off the pole, but winning reinsman Brian Gath said the Group 1-winning daughter of Grinfromeartoear had plenty up her sleeve.
"She's very lazy when she's in front," Gath said. "She was doing it easy down the back but just didn't want to pull away from them.
"She gave me a few worries down the straight but then she was pulling away from them again on the line. It was a pretty good win."
After booting through to lead from the inside gate, Rocknrolla covered the first two quarters in 30.8 seconds before coming home in 29.8 and 27.8secs for a 1:58.7 mile rate.
That was identical to the time the Jayne Davies-trained, Chris Alford-driven Miss Trickin Lombo went to win the latter qualifier.
The daughter of Blissfull Hall swamped her rivals in a 28.9-second final section - which followed a 29.4sec third split and 61sec first half of the last mile - for a 1.6m win over $74 outsider Peaces Of You and Revivalist ($6.60).
Favoured pair Art Shadow ($2.90 fav) and Stunin Girl ($3.30) were not far away in fourth and fifth, while Definite Girl ($44) crept home along the pegs to grab sixth and a place in the final.
