Beaudiene Rocknroll played with his rivals from the front when last at Cambridge. PHOTO: Chanelle Lawson.
Smart workout shows Beaudiene Rocknroll’s ticker’s just fine for return to Cambridge
By Barry Lichter • 20 June 2023
Don’t be put off backing Beaudiene Rocknroll at Cambridge on Thursday night because atrial fibrillation took him out of play in his last start at Auckland.
Trainer Ray Green is more worried that the horse’s second line draw might prevent him from repeating the demolition job he did on his Cambridge rivals at his previous start.
“He’s got a bit of an awkward draw but the fibrillation doesn’t worry me. We’ve had a few do it over the years and as a rule they never do it again.”
Green says even the experts struggle to explain why Beaudiene Rocknroll went from travelling like a winner to running like his battery had died within the space of a few hundred metres at Alexandra Park 12 days ago.
Driver Andre Poutama reported he knew something was wrong when he handed up the lead a round from home.
And he had no hesitation in easing the horse out of the race down the back straight.
Vets who checked the horse’s heart rate on returning to the stable detected the fibrillation, caused by the heart’s atria quivering and not contracing to their fullest extent. “He’d reconverted by the time we got home and checked him out,” Green said.
The episode is not necessarily indicitave of an electrical problem with the heart and can happen to horses with depleted potassium or those who are unduly active and sweat freely.
Green said the three-year-old performed right up to his best standard in a workout at Pukekohe last Friday when he was sooled out of the gate to lead over 2050 metres and was collared only late by his better performed stablemate, the three-race winner Frankie Major in a 2:01.9 mile rate.
Drawing the second row is a negative for Beaudiene Rocknroll who has been at his most effective when driven in front. But Green hasn’t given up on the hope that Poutama can still get the horse into the action.
“You can bet the pole runner (You Little Beauty) will be trying to hold up and we’re the only one on the second row so Andre can move out if he wants to.”
Major Achievement is blocked in as eventual winner Over The Top races past.Unlucky
Green believes Major Achievement will be a factor drawn four in the second race.
It is the first time the Art Major three-year-old has drawn an alley after starting from eight and 11 in his first two starts.
Major Achievement showed rapid improvement on his debut fifth when finishing an unlucky fourth at Auckland last week, held up for most of the run home.
Just when driver Peter Ferguson looked like he was going to be able to extricate the gelding 150 metres from home, the eventual winner Over The Top ranged alongside and held him in. Despite that, Major Achievement finished less than two lengths from the winner.
“I’m happy with where he’s at,” Green said. “He keeps improving and, with a bit of luck, he’ll get one soon.”
Lincoln Farms’ third runner Toe The Line, while limited, gets his chance too from the pole in the sixth race.
“If he can hold up, he could get a nice soft trip. He deserves to be one of the favourites.”
The Betting Line four-year-old ran a distant sixth behind stablemate Beaudiene Rocknroll last time but, from a bad draw, was last at the bell and was in restricted room in the run home.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Debbie Lincoln
5.26pm
“She had to sit parked most of the way last time but still went well, and that’s what she does. She’s proven to be a very promising filly and, while it’s hard these days to win without a good trip, it’s an even field and she’s a good chance again.”
Race 2: Lincoln Lou
5.55pm
“He probably cost himself a win last week by going roughly, but he can do that. If he’d got Frisco Bay’s trip he would have won with his closing quarters of 56 and 27 the fastest in the race. He’s just got to do things right to be the one to beat, even from the bad draw, as it’s an easier field.”
Race 5: Frisco Bay
7.30pm
“He’s up in grade a bit but I don’t think there’s anything between them. He’s just got to get the right run and, with his speed, he’ll be right in it.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
7.59pm
“He’s no superstar but he’s very honest and he’s always a place chance as he’s a tough bugger, he sat parked last week.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.59pm
“With a similar run to last week, he’d be right in it. He clocked 55.8 and 27.7, doing his best work at the finish. He hasn’t gone a bad race since he’s come back.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.59pm
“I wasn’t expecting him to do anything on debut as he’s a green, young horse. But he went very well so he’s obviously lifted his game for the occasion. And he’s trained on even better so the experience has enhanced him. From the inside he has to be a good chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.59pm
“She’s definitely a better animal left-handed but she was passable right-handed and should go better this time. She’s got some speed.”
Race 8: Lincoln Downs
8.59pm
“She’s a nice filly but is behind the others. I don’t expect her to beat anything but she needs the experience.”
Race 8: Lincoln Linda
8.59pm
“There won’t be any shadows for her to jump this time so she has to be a serious chance. She’d been dominant at the workouts and trials before her debut but didn’t get the chance to show her true worth.”
Race 8: Lincoln Lover
8.59pm
“Fergie was quite impressed with him on debut and requested the drive again. He finished on strongly up the lane and should go well again. He just needs some luck from the outside of the gate.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 3: Argyle
9.04pm NZ time
“I thought his last two starts have been terrific. There’s no doubt this race is tougher, and he has trickier draw, but I was talking to Angus last night and he was quite upbeat about his chances. He said the horse gave him a good feel when he sat parked two starts back and he picked him too (in the draft). But it won’t be easy. There could be a bit of pressure early. I think he’ll come out and see what unfolds and, if there is too much pressure, he’ll drive him quietly.”
Ray’s comments
Sunday at Manawatu
Race 1: Onyx Shard
5.29pm
“You can put a line through her last run at Cambridge when she pulled up showing signs of a respiratory infection. She had a couple of weeks off after that and, while she hasn’t trialled since, she’s been training down nicely. She’s a nice filly and from the good draw should really win.”
Race 3: Lincoln La Moose
6.19pm
“He wasn’t far away in the amateur race at Auckland last time despite jumping a shadow early and galloping. This is a decent drop in class for him and he should be very competitive.
