HANGING ROCK CUP DAY PHOTOS |
By Tim Hickman27/01/2010 |
 Good Times Roll produced a decent reversal in form to win the second on the card. She was ridden by apprentice Chris Nicoll for his master Dale Sutton. |
 Chris Nicoll briefs Dale Sutton on the filly's performance after the race. |
 Flying Jokher broke his maiden at his third start for prolific Ballarat trainer Darren Weir. |
 Flying Jokher was ridden a treat by Jacob Rule, one of Victoria's up and coming apprentices. |
 The best finish of the day came up in the fourth race, when despised $16 outsider Notify (blue/white colours) for Eddie Cassar got up over To The Keeper. Had To The Keeper not received a 2Kg penalty for winning a race at Great Western on Saturday he probably wins the race. |
 Al Wafi bolted in the Hanging Rock Cup for trainer Chris Hyland and jockey Dean Holland. |
 Al Wafi is a full brother to the grand stayer County Tyrone, who won two Sydney Cups. Unfortunately, he doesn't stay as well as his brother so an attempt at a jumping career did not succeed, but he is paying his way on the flat. |
 Al Wafi's trainer Chris Hyland. |
 And jockey Dean Holland, who rode a very patient race. |
 The best ride of the day came up in the sixth race, with Les Beer rating Libertina beautifully outside the leader, then putting a gap on his rivals at the top of the straight they were unable to breach. |
 Les Beer debriefs trainer Austy Coffey. The time for the race was nearly four seconds slower than the Cup and three seconds slower than the maiden. |
 In the last race, Vain Occasion kicks clear at the top of the straight for Robbie Griffiths and Andrew Mallyon... |
 ...And manages to just hang on. If you forget her first up run from an 80+ week spell, her previous form was easily good enough. |
 This should give readers some idea of the crowds that were at the Rock on Tuesday. There were queues four and five deep for the bookmakers all day, and triple that for the ice cream van. I'd be fairly confident the bookies holds at the Rock would have been as good or better than at Caulfield on the same day. |
