22 March 2019 | Shane Yates
Lachlan breeder, owner, trainer and driver Sam Rawnsley says he’s totally in the dark going into tonight’s return of his former promising pacer I Wanna Rock.
The now six-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven-Maybe Jane gelding will contest the Tasmanian Equine Veterinary Services Pace, race six at 19.37 on the Tasmanian Trotting Club’s program tonight at TAB Park Elwick in Hobart.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever taken a horse to the track without having a good idea of how he will go but I honestly have no idea where he’s up to at the moment but I’m happy he’s back,” said Sam.
“I Wanna Rock has been off the scene for almost three years after doing a sesamoid ligament, which was very unfortunate as he was going well at the time, it’s been a long slow process to nurse him back to health but he was showing so much potential we had to give him a chance to prove how good we think he may be, he’s looking fit and well going into tonight’s return.”
I Wanna Rock won three of his five starts with Sam likening him to his former star pacer Gedlee (pictured).
“At the time he broke down I thought he was the equal of Gedlee, I remember about three years ago before he had even raced taking him down to work with Resurgent Spirit to work over 2600-metres just after ‘Spirit’ had won a heat of the Hobart Cup and I Wanna Rock beat him a half-length after he felt like he had just been jogging at the quarter pole,” said Sam.
“When we pulled up I said to Roger (Whitmore) have a look at the clock, neither of us could believe we had come home in 26.8 seconds and this was before he had even had a trial, so he had a big motor and knew how to use it, I just have to hope now he holds up and can still perform at a level close to what we believe he was capable of prior to the injury.”
Tonight’s seven-event Tasmanian Trotting Club card, commencing at 17.09, can be seen via the live stream service at tasracing.com.au.
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