Wine Rocs salutes at Ellerslie

Promising three-year-old Wine Rocs (NZ)(El Roca) indicated there are more wins in store in his current campaign as he produced a sustained finish to claim victory in the Elsdon Park 1400 at Ellerslie.

Wine Rocs had caught the eye when finishing runner-up to Hakushu (I Am Invincible) at the venue last month after a win on debut at Te Aroha over 1150m before finishing out of the money at Te Rapa when not receiving a lot of luck in the home straight that day.

This time the Debbie Sweeney-prepared son of El Roca sat outside pacemaker and race favourite Cosmic Dream (Cosmic Force) before assuming control halfway down the Ellerslie home straight for rider Lynsey Satherley.

Despite veering to the middle of the track, Satherley got the very best out of her mount in a driving finish to hold out the late run of Curved Glory (NZ) (Ghaiyyath) by half a length as Cosmic Dream fought on bravely for third ahead of the fast-finishing Ruby Rush (NZ) (Ribchester).

Sweeney was pleased with the win for a horse who has undoubted ability but can prove a real handful at home.

“He is a pretty smart horse although quite green as you could see when he ran around a little bit in the home straight,” Sweeney said.

“He keeps on stepping up and learning as he is a difficult horse at times and can be quite trying.

“The staff have done a good job with him and it is showing now. He has a mind of his own and can give Ashlee (Strawbridge) a pretty hard time at trackwork, but he is improving with age.

“I think in six months he could be a very serious horse, but just a little immature at this stage.”

Wine Rocs is the only foal of the two-race winner Our Fine Win. His granddam Madam Kirk is the mother of six-race winner Clever Ruds who was also trained by Sweeney and finished fourth in the 2023 Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham.