Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Star trainer-reinsman Chris Voak wears a constant smile, and he was unable to contain his glee when Rock Artist drew the prized No. 1 barrier in the $50,000 Christmas Gift at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Last Friday night Rock Artist was a $101 outsider who finished eighth behind Mister Smartee in the Group 1 Golden Nugget, on the surface hardly a convincing recommendation for this week’s 2130m event.
But there are two factors which suggest that Rock Artist will prove hard to beat. First, he was extremely unlucky in the Nugget, and second, he is a smart frontrunner who has set the pace in nine of his ten wins in a 36-start career which includes eleven seconds and three third placings.
Rock Artist began from barrier three in the Nugget and was not pushed in the early stages and he settled down in seventh position, four back on the pegs, before he was shuffled back to eleventh 400m from home and then was badly blocked for a clear run in the home straight.
From the ideal barrier this week Voak has high hopes of winning the Christmas Gift for the first time, after being placed five times in this event over the past twelve years.
His Gift placings have been Shamrock Tango (third in 2012), Red Salute (third in 2013), Ideal Tyson (second in 2016), Im Rockaria (third in 2017) and Gotta Go Gabbana (second in 2018).
Four-year-old Rock Artist has been unplaced at his past five starts, in which he did not set the pace. If he is able to lead on Friday night, against some smart beginners, including Chivalry (barrier two), Golden Lode (three), Frisky Styx (five) and Rockandrollartist (six) he should take plenty of catching.
Golden Lode, the only three-year-old in the event, is in top form, following smart victories at Gloucester Park at his past two starts. He will be driven by Deni Roberts for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, with the stable looking for its fourth success in this event, following the wins of Motu Treasure (2010), Russley Rascal (2011) and Saying Grace (2018).
Golden Lode impressed last Friday week when he sustained a spirited burst from the midfield to win from The Beaudster and Tualou.
Voak has a sound second string in Friday night’s event in six-year-old Caliente, who has won at three of his past five starts. He will be driven by Chris Lewis, who, quite remarkably has not won the Christmas Gift, which was first run in 1963 when Alan Woodworth was successful with Johnny Scott. Since 1990 Lewis has driven in the Christmas Gift 37 times.
Capel trainer Aiden De Campo has two runners in Friday night’s race, Frisky Styx (barrier five) and Rockandrollartist (six). He drove both geldings to smart wins at Gloucester Park last Friday night, and he has chosen to handle Frisky Styx, a winner at nine of his 24 starts, and Dylan Egerton-Green will drive Rockandrollartist, who has had 62 starts for eleven wins and 19 placings.
Rockandrollartist revealed sparkling gate speed when he charged to the front from out wide at barrier eight last Friday night and won over 2130m by four lengths from Joey James.
Champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr will be represented by Ventura (barrier eight) and Dalvey Robyn (No. 3 on the back line). He will drive Ventura, whose easy all-the-way victory over Rockandrollartist last Friday week took his record to 31 starts for eleven wins and eight placings.
Maddison Brown will handle Dalvey Robyn, a New Zealand-bred gelding she brought home with a powerful burst to win from Tommy Waterhouse and Magnus Victory two starts ago. Dalvey Robyn followed that win with a strong effort when he finished powerfully to be second to Goodfellaz last Friday night.
Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall Snr, who has won the Christmas Gift with Nixons Creed (1993), Allioop (2004), McRaes Mate (2007), Livingontheinterest (2012), Toretto (2013), Herrick Roosevelt (2017) and Jumpingjackmac (2021), will be relying on New Zealand-bred four-year-old Im The Black Flash to improve his record.
Im The Black Flash, to be driven by Stuart McDonald, will begin from the No. 2 barrier on the back line. He has won at eleven of his 30 starts.