Trainer Chris Wood was in good spirits as he navigated his way around his local golf course on Sunday after adding to a recent run of good results with progressive galloper Roc de Bank a day earlier.
The four-year-old Roc de Cambes gelding made it career win number 5 and third at Te Rapa when he led for the length of the long run home to claim the Ebbett Toyota 1600. Handled skilfully by three kilogram claiming apprentice Darren Danis, the gelding bounced nicely from the outside barrier to take up the running beside the well fancied Ali Baba during the early stages of the contest.
Danis took his charge to a clear lead as the field made the bend into the home straight and defied his challengers to run him down from that point. Despite drifting to the middle of the track Roc de Bank kept up a powerful gallop to score by half a length from Keep On Coming and The Kipling Girl who both charged home out wide in a blanket finish to the contest.
Wood was delighted with the win although his plans for the gelding won't see him step out much over the winter months.
"He's a pretty handy horse and has fashioned a good record at Te Rapa," he said.
"He likes a little cut in the track but isn't a true winter galloper so the track that he struck on Saturday was perfect for him.
"At this stage, we might find one more for him somewhere and then he can have a break before we bring him back for the spring."
Wood will now turn his attention to the upcoming Orora Kiwi Packaging Kiwifruit Cup (2200m) at Tauranga on the 24th of June where he will line up the likely favourite in Pacorus. The five-year-old Tavistock gelding has thrived since finishing third in the Whanganui Cup at his last run with Wood keen to pick up the feature staying event at Tauranga after the horse was a comprehensive winner in rating 75 company on the same day 12 months ago.
