The powerful Tony Gollan stable made it race-to-race wins at the Gold Coast when Rockribbed comprehensively outgunned his rivals when saluting in the Listed Australian Turf Club Trophy.
One race earlier, the well-performed Floozie had got the Gollan scoreboard rolling with her hard-earned win in the Silk Stocking in a race that was tightly contested.
The Rockribbed victory was an easier watch for connections though with Emily Lang shooting the seven-year-old chestnut forward from the break and finding the lead she was looking for to take command of the race early from The inflictor who had also jumped well.
The son of Night Of Thunder quickly opened up a two-length cushion at the head of affairs and continued to lead comfortably until the home turn still with The Inflictor, who had now got within a length, in tow, along with Boom Torque who was shaping as a threat saving ground along the inside.
These two runners continued to snap at Rockribbed’s heels in the early part of the home straight, but it became apparent inside the final 200m that Rockribbed was simply carrying too much firepower for his opposition, and he continued to stretch out strongly to the line under a very confident ride from Lang to secure a second successive win by a 1,50 length margin.
The Peter Snowden trained Need Some Luck, who came into this contest on a three-race winning streak, finished strongly from well back to take second place away from The Inflictor.
As good as Need Some Luck’s finishing effort was, with Rockribbed sustained effort and the start Need Some Luck had given the Gollan trained runner, second place was always likely to be the best Need Some Luck could achieve in the circumstances.
Rockribbed started at the generous odds of $8.50, beating the $2.50 betting companies favourite Need Some Luck, who is a half-brother to Chatauqua, and the $6 second favourite favourite The Inflictor into second and third place respectively.
