Rocknroll Runa has come up with the gun draw as he tries to emulate this mother and become a group one winner.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The four-year-old will start from barrier one in the Riverina Championship Entires and Geldings Final at Riverina Paceway on Saturday night.
After finishing fourth in his heat last week, reinsman Jackson Painting hopes circumstances will suit better this time around after getting shuffled a long way back from the same draw.
"I was super pleased as he got real fired up with that false start and just overraced way too hard so I was stoked he kept kicking up like that to hold on (to qualify)," Painting said.
"I definitely didn't think the race would pan out like that at all, it was one of the worst scenarios but we qualified him and we weren't planning on taxing him in the heat.
"If he didn't pull so hard the run would have been perfect but he's come through it really good.
"He's pulled up super and is bright as a button here this week."
Despite eventually settling four back along the pegs, Rocknroll Runa finished 14.6 metres off winner Ideal Dan in the faster of the two heats.
Painting hopes he can settle closer to the speed this time around.
"We won't be coming out all guns a blazing that's for sure but hopefully we can just lob nice and handy as I've got no doubt if we do, and he doesn't use too much petrol early, he's going to be in the finish."
READ MORE
Trained by Painting's uncle David Kennedy at Euroley, Rocknroll Runa forgo his entire three-year-old season with an eye on group one racing at Wagga this season.
So far he's had a luckless second, lost a win on protest before a strong win leading into the series.
Painting is hoping they've timed their run right.
"We haven't pushed him too hard until now as we've had this and the other series (the Regional Championships) coming up in mind," he said.
"His first run was more or less a trial, in his second run he was a little grub really and half shied at the crowd to duck in but we've changed a little bit of gear him and we've had no issue with him steering.
"What is going to be the fly in our side for this race, as he's only had 16 starts while nearly everything else in the field has had around 30 to 50 starts.
"He's lacking that race experience but makes up his class.
"He's pretty untapped ability wise."
Painting and Kennedy will also combine with the resuming My Ultimate Andy over the 10-race card.
He's won six of his 12 starts, plus another two placings, but Painting fears it could be his last race in the region.
"My Ultimate Andy is first up from a spell and his two trials have been pretty progressive and if he can find the front I think he will take a bit of running down actually," he said.
"He's another one who has been brought up nice and steady with metropolitan racing in mind.
"He probably won't stay around this area just with the lack of high-class runners."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Download our app from the Apple Store or Google Play
- Bookmark dailyadvertiser.com.au
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters