Country trainer Mandy Shillito wants lightly raced seven-year-old Rocking Force to prove himself a Group One sprinter next year.
Rocking Force scored an upset win in the Listed Swisse Vitamins Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on November 3 and Shillito is hopeful there are bigger prizes ahead of him.
The gelding will run in Saturday’s Essendon Nissan Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley before heading to Adelaide for the $80,000 Listed City Of Marion Stakes (1200m) on December 10 to get his first look at Morphettville where the Group One Goodwood (1200m) is run in May.
Shillito said Rocking Force would spelled after the $200,000 Group Three Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on January 2 to be prepared for Adelaide’s top sprint.
“I figured that if we aim for The Goodwood he would need a month off in January and then he can come back and have a lead up race somewhere,” Shillito said.
Rocking Force didn’t start racing until January last year and has been remarkably consistent.
His Flemington win was the biggest for both him and Shillito, and the fifth of his career.
Shillito was surprised Rocking Force, who made the Flemington field as an emergency, soared 13 rating points to 98 on the strength of his photo finish win over Canali.
At the same time she is relieved she can target the races she wants.
“It was a pretty steep rise but at least we know we are going to get a run wherever we like now,” Shillito said.
She said Rocking Force had trained on well for his Moonee Valley assignment.
Shillito had entered Rocking Force at Ballarat on Sunday but decided to run him at the Valley after he drew an inside barrier.
“He got gate two so we decided to go there where he will just sit behind them and take the fence,” Shillito said.
Steven King, who negotiated a path through a wall of horses on Rocking Force at Flemington, will ride him again on Saturday.
Rocking Force is already a winner at the track over 1200 metres and at his only other start there, he stormed home and went down in a photo finish to Definitely Ready over 955 metres on September 30 .
Definitely Ready meets Rocking Force 2.5kg better but Shillito remains hopeful of turning the tables on the Mark Kavanagh-trained sprinter who has a wide draw.
“We had to work to get to him last time but with the wide gate and extra distance we get our chance to beat him this time,” she said.
AAP TURF
