CHAMPION driver Anthony Butt was buzzing about this Group 1 Ballarat Cup … until the barrier draw.
“I’m going to lie, I was in the car when I heard the draw and really groaned when I heard he’d start from the pole,” Butt said.
“It would be great for lots of horses, but he’s not the quickest out and still learning, so it’s really the worst possible draw.
“I’ve been in enough big races to know you can overcome these things, but it’s not ideal, that’s for sure.”
Rock N Roll Doo drew barrier two, but will come into one if the lone emergency Interest Free doesn’t gain a start from the pole.
It was the start of his undoing in the Bendigo Cup two week’s ago when he was easily crossed at the start, then started to over race and eventually choke-down before being retired from the race.
Trainer-driver Mick Stanley was crunched in the back by a rival horse as he eased Rock N Roll Doo out of the race and sustained two broken vertebrae.
Enter Butt, who has driven Rock N Roll Doo in a trial and all his serious track work since.
“Despite the draw, it’ll be great to drive him in a race for the first time this week,” Butt said.
“He’s certainly taken no harm from what happened at Bendigo. He felt awesome in the trial a couple of days later and his work has been outstanding.
“He’s in a great place, but we’re just going to need our share of luck from the draw.”
Rock N Roll Doo will have one gear change for Ballarat.
“Nothing major, Mick switched to a rubber band tongue-tie at Bendigo and said the horse was able to move his tongue around too much and flip it back, but he’ll back to a proper tie-down this week,” he said.
“He doesn’t race in much gear, so he won’t need anything else changed.”
Rock N Roll Doo looked the sport’s next big things winning the Group 1 Victoria Cup on October 10, but has been winless in five starts since, three of those during a New Zealand Cup raid in October/November.
As good as he was in the Victoria Cup, this is the best field he’s met.
The Ballarat Cup is the strongest open-class race run in this part of the world since before Covid.
Butt, himself a former Kiwi, has huge respect for the two NZ raiders – Copy That (gate five) and Old Town Road (nine) – along with Jason Grimson’s recent revelation Major Meister (12).
“This is a seriously strong race. The strongest I can recall for at least three years,” he said.
“It’s great to have the Kiwis back across. I’ve driven Copy That. He’s all class and obviously in great form. Old Town Road is the real up-and-comer of NZ and his runs back at NZ Cup time were outstanding. They've both got great chances this week and in the Hunter Cup.
“Anyone who saw Major Meister win the Bendigo Cup saw what an exciting talent he is. Horses shouldn’t be able to do what he did and still win that night. He was decked, got going again and still stormed home over the top of them.”
Major Meister is one of three runners for Grimson. He’s also got Inter Dominion winner I Cast No Shadow (six) and multiple Group 1 winner Majestic Cruiser (11) in the $150,000 feature.
Champion Ballarat trainers Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin have two runners in their hometown Cup, Inter Dominion finalists Honolua Bay (seven) and Mach Dan (nine).
Much interest will also centre on David Aiken’s recent Kiwi import Cranbourne (three), who led throughout to win his first Aussie run in an easier Shepparton Gold Cup last Saturday night.
- Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
