Gold Coast trainer John Morrisey will spend the next fortnight with one eye turned skyward after wet track specialist Rockdale raced into Queensland Derby calculations with a bold win in the Rough Habit Plate at Doomben.Rockdale jumped straight to the front in Saturday's Group Three $125,000 feature over 2020m for under-rated jockey Damian Browne and ploughed through the heavy track to stall off the challengers for an all-the-way win.Rockdale produced a similar performance almost 12 months ago w

Gold Coast trainer John Morrisey will spend the next fortnight with one eye turned skyward after wet track specialist Rockdale raced into Queensland Derby calculations with a bold win in the Rough Habit Plate at Doomben.

Rockdale jumped straight to the front in Saturday's Group Three $125,000 feature over 2020m for under-rated jockey Damian Browne and ploughed through the heavy track to stall off the challengers for an all-the-way win.

Rockdale produced a similar performance almost 12 months ago when he led throughout on a saturated Eagle Farm surface to win the Group One TJ Smith Stakes.

While Rockdale ($21) was out on his own making his luck, the well-supported favourite and leading Derby contended Orca ($4 fav) was back in the ruck and the Guy Walter-trained gelding failed to flatter in the straight to finish a well-beaten ninth.

QTC Oaks aspirant Rezyana ($21) battled on bravely against the colts to finish a half length second with Melbourne visitor Larry's Never Late ($5.50) doing his Derby claims no harm with a gusty performance to finish nearly a length back in third.

Morrisey acknowledged Rockdale had a definite affinity for a soft surface and admitted he would be hoping for rain in the days before the Derby on June 6 but refuted suggestions the horse was purely a wet tracker.

"Not at all," he said.

"That win was as much about the way he was ridden as it was the wet track.

"He's a leader, not a wet tracker. Damian rode him the way he has to be ridden, out in front setting his own pace and doing it his way.

"He's a good rider and I had a lot of confidence going into this race. I'll be hoping for a wet track come Derby day but he'll still acquit himself on any surface."

Gold Coast gelding Za Magic ($12) worked home fairly to finish sixth, beaten 3-1/2 lengths and his trainer Maryann Thexton will press ahead with Derby claims hoping for a dry track.

"Brad (Stewart) said he was happy with the run and that's enough for me," Thexton said.

"His sprint was dulled on the heavy track but those were pretty much the same horses he will meet in the Derby and he held his own against them today."