Andrew Carston posted winning quinella in the last race of the day, the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Rating 65 (1400m) at his home track of Riccarton Park on Saturday.
Under a cool ride by Jason Laking, four-year-old gelding Jon Ol Rocco jumped well from barrier one, settled midfield on the rail and was near last on the bend. Laking bided his time before he weaved between runners and burst through three off the rail at the 200m mark and ran down stablemate Poverty Bay, who was brave to win by half a neck on the line.
“It was a great way to end the day,” Carston said. “Jon Ol Rocco looks to have a promising future and it was great to get another win for his owner Tom Dyer.
“It was a great effort from Poverty Bay to finish second too, it could have gone either way and it’s always exciting to see two of your horses battling it out on the line.”
The Carston pair finished one-and-a-quarter lengths clear of their nearest rival, Sir Albert.
It was the second career win from just five starts for Jon Ol Rocco, a son of Time Test bred by Jamieson Park, who was fresh up following a three-year-old campaign which ended with a seventh placing in the Gr.3 Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic (2000m) at Awapuni.
Carston has yet to finalise plans for his four-year-old season and will first see how he has come though today’s race.
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