By Ray Hickson
Trainer Bjorn Baker is confident one of his favourite greys Frosty Rocks can play mythbuster and prove he’s not just a wet tracker when he aims for back-to-back wins at Kembla Grange on Saturday.
Of his 20 starts to date only five have been on good tracks, for one win and a second, but Baker said it’s more a coincidence that Frosty has raced on forgiving ground for the majority of his career and a bonus that he relishes it.
The gelding, $3.20 with TAB on Thursday in the Agency Spring Preview (1400m), resumed with a tough win on a soft 5 at Rosehill three weeks ago but is yet to be placed in three second-up attempts.
“I think he’s pretty genuine regardless of what track he gets,’’ Baker said.
“He’s sound, he’s older and he gets in with a good weight on Saturday and he’s got natural gate speed.
“He won at Warwick Farm one day in quick time on a good track. Even last start the track wasn’t too bad.
“I think it’s circumstantial more than anything and he’s wound up on a wet track more than we thought.”
Josh Parr has the option to ride Frosty Rocks half a kilo over his 55.5kg on Saturday but either way Baker said he will get his chance dropping from carrying 60kg in his first-up win.
He’ll roll forward at the start as usual and if he shows the fight that saw him hold off Bigboyroy first-up it’ll stand him in good stead to bust the wet track myth and improve his second-up record.
“It was a bit of a relief and I thought he was really game that day,’’ Baker said.
“He looked like he was in trouble and he fought with a big weight. I think the 1400m should suit and he had a good base going into that first run at 1300m then three weeks between runs.
“I’m comfortable he’s ready to run a really good race and if he runs well we have to look at a few options. I haven’t picked out a race, it’s very much see what happens Saturday and go from there.”
Baker’s other favourite grey Fun Fact returns from a fetlock injury in the Spring Preview and last year’s St Leger winner is headed on a similar path this time around.
However, expectations are on the low side with the six-year-old who isn’t known for his first-up prowess.
“Obviously it’s going to be well short of his best so we wouldn’t be confident he’s going to feature in the finish,’’ Baker said.
“Once he gets up to 2000m and beyond you’ll see the best of him like last year.”
Frosty Rocks wins at Rosehill on July 24
Bjorn Baker’s comments on his other Kembla Grange runners:
Bring The Ransom (race 9): “Whether she stayed the 1800m or got a bit further back than I thought she would, she definitely wasn’t at her best last time. Back to 1400m with a soft gate and Hugh Bowman on I think she sets up nicely.”
Kiss The Bride (race 10): “It’s probably going to be short of his best but I think he’s going really well. He can run a nice race fresh up, if it was a mile I’d be more confident but from a soft gate, who knows, he might put his hand up at big odds but I’d suggest he probably needs further and a couple of runs.”
All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Kembla Grange meeting