Rock standing firm against Black Caviar
June 15, 2012
There’s something about Royal Ascot in mid-June that seems to bring out the very best in the James Fanshawe-trained Society Rock who has been confirmed an intended runner against Australia’s sprint sensation Black Caviar in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes on June 23, writes Elliot Slater.
Two years ago Fanshawe’s star ran a superb race to finish second at odds of 50/1 behind the very smart Starspangledbanner in the showcase six furlong contest, despite which he was sent off at 25/1 twelve months ago when proving too good for some of the best speed merchants on the planet, beating Monsieur Chevalier by half-a-length with Australia’s Star Witness a further length-and-three-quarters back in third.
Whilst acknowledging that Black Caviar will be very hard to beat as she bids to register her 22nd straight win and maintain her unbeaten record, Fanshawe is not one to be frightened off by one horse and believes that his five-year-old is as good if not better than ever having run a fine race at York last time out when beaten into a very close third by Tiddliwinks (winner since) in the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes on the Knavesmire.
Back at his favourite stamping ground the son of Rock of Gibraltar is expected to give a very good account of himself, and should Black Caviar, (a long odds-on 2/5 favourite for punters who bet on horse racing at Bet Victor), fail to live up to expectations), then Society Rock (14/1) could well be the horse to take advantage of the situation and once again prove himself a class act on the stiff uphill finish. Another horse confirmed as a runner in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes is Hoof It (16/1), a little below par on his seasonal return but reported by Mick Easterby to have worked in sparkling fashion at Sherriff Hutton recently and who on his day is also a fine performer in top sprint company.
Don’t forget you get great odds on racing with www.betvictor.com ahead of the big race!
Two years ago Fanshawe’s star ran a superb race to finish second at odds of 50/1 behind the very smart Starspangledbanner in the showcase six furlong contest, despite which he was sent off at 25/1 twelve months ago when proving too good for some of the best speed merchants on the planet, beating Monsieur Chevalier by half-a-length with Australia’s Star Witness a further length-and-three-quarters back in third.
Whilst acknowledging that Black Caviar will be very hard to beat as she bids to register her 22nd straight win and maintain her unbeaten record, Fanshawe is not one to be frightened off by one horse and believes that his five-year-old is as good if not better than ever having run a fine race at York last time out when beaten into a very close third by Tiddliwinks (winner since) in the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes on the Knavesmire.
Back at his favourite stamping ground the son of Rock of Gibraltar is expected to give a very good account of himself, and should Black Caviar, (a long odds-on 2/5 favourite for punters who bet on horse racing at Bet Victor), fail to live up to expectations), then Society Rock (14/1) could well be the horse to take advantage of the situation and once again prove himself a class act on the stiff uphill finish. Another horse confirmed as a runner in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes is Hoof It (16/1), a little below par on his seasonal return but reported by Mick Easterby to have worked in sparkling fashion at Sherriff Hutton recently and who on his day is also a fine performer in top sprint company.
Don’t forget you get great odds on racing with www.betvictor.com ahead of the big race!
Posted by Robert James.