EGLINTON trainer Bill Doughty is not getting too carried away just yet with believing that Rockon Tommy deserves a start in one of the feature races in the Ascot spring carnival.
While Doughty was very pleased with Rockon Tommy’s win on Saturday, October 20 and the ride by jockey Shaun O’Donnell, on Sunday he said the gelding was still to prove himself against the better horses.
Doughty said they knew there was no natural leader in the Snap to Win a Melbourne Trip with Mumm Handicap (1600m) so he told O’Donnell if he could get a sit to do so but if not he would be the leader.
He thought the second placegetter Cappo D’Oro, trained by Fred Kersley and bred by Oakland Park Stud, was more of a stayer but with 59kg he had also carried more weight than Rockon Tommy who had carried 56kg.
He said the next test for the gelding would be in two weeks.
“Another 1600m where he’ll carry more weight as the handicapper won’t miss him,’’ he said.
The 76-year-old trainer said when it came to Rockon Tommy’s campaign he was taking things one race at a time.
Doughty, who bred the Vital Equine and Sushi Quatro gelding, has cancer and is on painkillers.
So having the a few Railway Stakes and Kingston Town dreams might help boost his spirits and be just what the doctor ordered.
Meanwhile, the Dan Morton-trained Man Booker spent time at Gold Front thoroughbred stud in Breera, Gingin in the lead up to his start in the Northerly Stakes (1400m), which he won on Saturday.
With jockey Paul Harvey on board Man Booker narrowly beat the favourite Galaxy Star.
