Star Rolling To Bounce Back In Underwood
- Wednesday, 17 September 2014 08:36
An impressive track gallop from Star Rolling has boosted jockey Stephen Baster's confidence that the horse can bounce back to top form in the Underwood Stakes.
Star Rolling started his campaign on a successful note with a determined win in the Group Two PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield.
He was prominent in betting for the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes but couldn't go on with the job in the straight after sitting behind leader and race winner The Cleaner, finishing sixth.
Star Rolling will be chasing his first win at Group One level in Saturday's 1800m weight-for-age race at Caulfield and impressed Baster with his course proper gallop at the track on Tuesday morning.
"The other day was a bit out of character. He was a bit disappointing but he couldn't have worked any better on Tuesday so I'm very happy with the way he is," Baster said.
"Hopefully he bounces back from the other day.
"I think he definitely worked better on Tuesday than he did the week leading into the Moonee Valley race.
"Hopefully the first-up run just knocked him around a bit and now he's over that and ready to fire."
Star Rolling is expected to race on the speed in the field of 10 which includes Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer, multiple Group One-winning mare Silent Achiever and proven weight-for-age performer Foreteller.
But Star Rolling, a $7 chance in early betting, will have to overcome a recent hoodoo for PB Lawrence Stakes winners if he is to be successful.
Of the past seven winners of the PB Lawrence, none has won another race that spring.
Silent Achiever opened on the second line of TAB betting for the Underwood at $4 but has since assumed favouritism at $3.60 over Foreteller at $4.40.
The Roger James-trained Silent Achiever will be out to become the first mare since Tristarc in 1985 to win the Underwood.
She is favourite to continue the winning run of New Zealand-trained horses with Lion Tamer (2011), Ocean Park (2012) and It's A Dundeel (2013) successful in the past three years.
