08 March 2018 | Ken Casellas
Star reinsman Chris Lewis is happy with the progress being made by Rockin The Boys and predicted the four-year-old mare would be hard to beat in the $18,000 ppcsupplies.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Rockin The Boys, bred, part-owned and trained by Lewis’ wife Debra, will be having her third start after a spell and is favourably drawn at the No. 2 barrier on the front line in the 2130m event.
She put in a strong performance last Friday night when she raced three wide early in an unsuccessful bid from barrier three to take an early lead in the 1730m event. She then worked hard in the breeze before getting to the front 350m from home and being overhauled in the final 15m to finish a half-length second to the fast-finishing Hot Fraternity, who rated 1.56.6.
At her first-up appearance a fortnight earlier, Rockin The Boys set the pace from barrier two before wilting to finish sixth behind Gotta Go Gabbana over 2130m.
Lewis has put up a strong case for Rockin The Boys this week, saying: “Her first run after a spell was average, but then she worked hard and breezed at her next outing and was a good second. She is a nice horse on the improve. It would be handy to get to the front.”
Rockin The Boys, whose 34 starts have produced nine wins, seven seconds and three thirds, meets moderate opposition on Friday night, including six-year-old mare Nothingbutadream, who is trained by Sarah Dacey and will be having her 99th start.
Nothingbutadream is awkwardly drawn at barrier six but she put the writing on the wall last Friday night when she was a distinct last at the bell in a field of ten before charging home with a spirited burst to finish third behind Hot Fraternity and Rockin The Boys. She will be driven by Corey Peterson.
Jailbreak, Sheez Edgy and Raffaello have been racing in good style and cannot be overlooked.
One of the best bets on the ten-event program should be the evergreen nine-year-old Major Catastrophe, who will be driven by Dean Miller from the outside (No. 9) on the front line in the 2536m Milford Homes Pace.
Major Catastropohe, trained at Pinjarra by his breeder-owner David Young, is sure to appreciate a considerable drop in class after contesting the $50,000 Pinjarra Cup on Monday afternoon when he was far from disgraced in finishing a game eighth behind star pacers My Hard Copy, Chicago Bull and Our Jimmy Johnstone.
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