Stokers Rock
Race Images South
Riverton trainer Graham Eade is hoping the winning run of giant gelding Stokers Rock can continue at Riccarton next Saturday after his charge scored an impressive victory on the first day of the Grand National Carnival on the weekend.
It was the five-year-old gelding's third win from just four starts for Eade since he took him over after receiving him from Ross Beckett's Yaldhurst stable earlier in the year.
"Ross had him originally but the person who owned him was in poor health so he agreed to lease him to Catherine Stalker," he explained.
"She asked me if I would like to take him on so we got him from Ross and he had his first start for us at Wingatui back in June. He won nicely that day and has just gone from strength to strength since then."
The late maturing St. Reims gelding has Eade excited about his future prospects while the tracks retain moisture in them.
"He still hasn't fully developed yet which is typical of the sire so I think he could really be something next season," he noted.
"He does need the cut in the track though as he just doesn't handle it when it's firm. The way the seasons are these days it's liable to stay wet down here for a couple of months yet so we will be looking at what opportunities there are for him before they really dry out."
Those plans include another run at the Grand National Carnival with Eade hoping he can produce a similar result to the weekend.
"We're staying up here for another week as there is a 2000 metre race this Saturday so that's where we will go next," he advised.
"You wouldn't have thought he'd had a race on Saturday he was so bright on Sunday morning so it certainly didn't take as much out of him as we thought it might.
"Safely through his weekend he can have a short break and then we will take a look around our local circuit during the early spring. I think he is really going to make it as a stayer so next winter we are hoping to step up and tackle some of the bigger events if things can go to plan."– NZ Racing Desk
It was the five-year-old gelding's third win from just four starts for Eade since he took him over after receiving him from Ross Beckett's Yaldhurst stable earlier in the year.
"Ross had him originally but the person who owned him was in poor health so he agreed to lease him to Catherine Stalker," he explained.
"She asked me if I would like to take him on so we got him from Ross and he had his first start for us at Wingatui back in June. He won nicely that day and has just gone from strength to strength since then."
The late maturing St. Reims gelding has Eade excited about his future prospects while the tracks retain moisture in them.
"He still hasn't fully developed yet which is typical of the sire so I think he could really be something next season," he noted.
"He does need the cut in the track though as he just doesn't handle it when it's firm. The way the seasons are these days it's liable to stay wet down here for a couple of months yet so we will be looking at what opportunities there are for him before they really dry out."
Those plans include another run at the Grand National Carnival with Eade hoping he can produce a similar result to the weekend.
"We're staying up here for another week as there is a 2000 metre race this Saturday so that's where we will go next," he advised.
"You wouldn't have thought he'd had a race on Saturday he was so bright on Sunday morning so it certainly didn't take as much out of him as we thought it might.
"Safely through his weekend he can have a short break and then we will take a look around our local circuit during the early spring. I think he is really going to make it as a stayer so next winter we are hoping to step up and tackle some of the bigger events if things can go to plan."– NZ Racing Desk