ROCKY delivers a knock out blow in winning for the first time in Singapore Sunday 28th August

ROCKY, the 4yo Gelding by El Roca out of Anthology (by Encosta de Lago), was too strong for his rivals in the Open Maiden 1100 Polytrack event on Sunday 28th August. Having his 4th race day start with three minor placings in his previous three starts, ROCKY had opened a clear favourite in the early betting, but a late plunge on the debut runner, Lucky Charm, saw him drift from $3 out to $4.80. Jumping from Barrier 5 with Jake Bayliss in the saddle, ROCKY got into a nice spot on the rail just in behind the speed. Bayliss extricated his charge from the rail before the turn, but in the meantime, Lucky Charm, in the hands of Vlad Duric, hugging the rail, had skipped well clear on the turn. ROCKY, turning for home three wide, looked as if he may have been on the canvass at this point, but once Bayliss got him balanced, he produced an exceptional turn of foot and started to reel in the leader and despite trying to lug in went to the line with a clear margin of 1.5 lengths

Click HERE to see race replay

 Rocky – 1st win in Singapore – 28th August 2022 – Jake Bayliss in the saddle

Te Akau Racing’s Singapore Trainer, Donna Logan, who scored a brace of wins on the day and is now two wins clear of Tim Fitzsimmons on the Trainers table with 45 wins, was a contented individual post race. “That was great to watch, ROCKY is a talented individual, who has not done himself all favours by being a bit immature in his races and even today he was lugging in badly in the run home, but he got the job done and I think he has a bright future here. Congrats to John Galvin and his Fortuna Team, I love training winners for them.”

Rider Jake Bayliss, who was battling a stomach bug during the day’s racing, was effusive in his praise for ROCKY “He got away well, finished up in a nice spot, relaxed nicely in the run, did a bit wrong in the run home, but was too good – still learning the game but is going to be as nice horse going forward.”

Fortuna Director, John Galvin, watching from his home in Hamilton New Zealand, was also a happy man “That was a great effort by ROCKY and a very nice result – he has always shown plenty of ability, but has also been very green in his racing and clearly has a bit of maturity to come – when it does, he will deliver some nice results for his ownership group. Well done to Donna Logan, she is the ultimate professional – it is showing in her results and well done to Jake Bayliss as well who made a great job of a tricky ride. And kudos to Mark Walker, who recommended this horse to me after seeing him run a nice trial at Avondale in May 2021”

ROCKY’s win was the 15th win for the Fortuna Racing Stable in Singapore for the 2022 season, putting the Stable in 2nd place on the Owners table, 3 behind Lim’s Stable.

ROCKY was purchased by John Galvin for NZ$50,000 from the October 2021 Gavelhouse Sale, on the recommendation of the former Singapore Trainer, Mark Walker

ROCKY is raced by the Fortuna Rocky Syndicate, an ownership Group consisting of 44 individuals from New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore