Five-year-old La Rocket has burst into Australian Cup contention with a hard-fought victory in the Group Two St George Stakes at Caulfield.Ridden by Stephen Baster, the Rock of Gibraltar gelding defied a list of leading Cup hopefuls to give Wadham Park its first Group success since it was founded six years ago.La Rocket went into the St George a $21 outsider but caught his rivals off guard after Baster was content to track the pacemaker Pacino and set up a winning lead in the home straight.He he
Five-year-old La Rocket has burst into Australian Cup contention with a hard-fought victory in the Group Two St George Stakes at Caulfield.
Ridden by Stephen Baster, the Rock of Gibraltar gelding defied a list of leading Cup hopefuls to give Wadham Park its first Group success since it was founded six years ago.
La Rocket went into the St George a $21 outsider but caught his rivals off guard after Baster was content to track the pacemaker Pacino and set up a winning lead in the home straight.
He held off the fast-finishing favourite Heart Of Dreams ($2.45) to score by a half-neck.
Heart Of Dreams' stablemate Miss Maren ($5.50) also ran on well and finished 1-1/2 lengths away in third place while Melbourne Cup winners Shocking and Viewed finished sixth and ninth respectively.
Wadham Park is the brainchild of Dale Sutton and former Toll Transport chairman Peter Rowsthorn.
The operation spans Victoria and Queensland and incorporates Woodside Park Stud as the breeding arm of the business while Wadham Park, based near Kyneton in central Victoria, boasts a $20 million investment in training facilities on 81 hectares.
Sutton said it been a "hard slog" on the way to Saturday's success and that the stable lost a year after equine influenza stranded a lot of the stable's horses in Queensland in 2007 and early 2008.
"We thought it (success) would come a lot quicker but it didn't," Sutton admitted.
"We've had a slow start but we had a few setbacks and now it is all starting to come together."
Sutton, 45, is manager at Wadham Park where La Rocket is the star of a 40-horse team.
Sutton said he doubted La Rocket was up to an Australian Cup but he would now press on to the big race at Flemington on March 6.
"I am absolutely rapt," Sutton said.
"He tries hard so he will be right there (in the Australian Cup)."
Baster is Wadham Park's stable jockey and said the St George panned out as he had expected with Pacino in front and La Rocket just behind him.
"We thought there were only few obvious ones with speed and it worked out perfectly," Baster said,
Heart Of Dreams looked to have La Rocket's measure at the 200 metres then he threw out a challenge but La Rocket fought all the way to the line.
"He's tough and keeps trying," Baster said.
A $300,000 yearling, La Rocket this campaign has been on a staying program since he won the Listed Seymour Classic in November.
It was his only start at 2000 metres giving the stable confidence that the distance will suit him in the Australian Cup.
Trainer Mick Price offered no excuses for Heart Of Dreams and Miss Maren who he said weren't good enough on the day.
"It looks an even Australian Cup with that horse (La Rocket) winning," Price said.
"He (Heart of Dreams) had every chance but he couldn't pick him up."
He said both his horses would run in the Australian Cup.
Bart Cummings' stable foreman Reg Fleming said Sirmione, (eighth) Viewed (ninth) and Moatize (last) would also all run in the Cup.
He said he feared Sirmione might be flat being second-up after placing in the Orr Stakes while Viewed was capable of winning the Australian Cup and Moatize was still warming to his campaign.
Brett Prebble said Changingoftheguard (10th) needed the run on Saturday and would strip a lot fitter in the Australian Cup.