Sydney turned on some strange weather during the week and even on race morning with yet another dust storm, but it wouldn’t have been a concern to popular trainer Anthony Cummings who celebrated his second Group One win in the space of seven days when Encosta de Lago’s son Road To Rock stormed home to claim the George Main Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
   The Cummings-trained Turffontein had taken out the Group I Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield the previous Saturday and the son of Hall of Famer Bart Cummings wasn’t surprised by Road To Rock’s success even though he returned the generous odds of 40-1 on the TAB.

   “It really wasn’t unexpected,” Cummings said.
   “His first-up run was excellent.”
   Road To Rock’s first-up run was a four-length plus sixth to Rangirangdoo in the Group Three Tramway Hcp (1400m) at Randwick on September 5, when ridden by former South African Glyn Schofield.
  Schofield was in the saddle again and he had the bay settled near the tail of the field and brought him home down the middle of the straight to comfortably hold Black Piranha (Clang – Jazztrack by Distinctly North) and Onemorenomore (Red Ransom – Palia by Last Tycoon).
  Schofield told TVN,  “he gave me a great feel first up – and he’s gone forward a lot from that run and being a bit fitter I was never worried on him.
  “I was travelling big time behind Black Piranha and he put paid to him nice and easily.”
  A five-year-old entire from the winning mare Trewornan (by Midyan), Road to Rock is Encosta de Lago’s 17th winner at the elite level and he will be out to give Cummings a Group One hat trick in next Saturday’s Group I Epsom Handicap at Randwick over the same distance of 1600m.
  His sire, Encosta de Lago (Fairy King – Shoal Creek by Star Way) commands a fee of $220,000 (inc gst) at Coolmore this spring

• Bloodhound pedigree - Road to Rock

Tags: Coolmore, Group I
Permalink| Sep 27, 2009

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