Airborne Roweiner Rockets to Record

Wulguru trainer Bill Kenning won’t be surprised if the big offers start rolling in for outstanding two-year-old Roweiner’s Dance after a track record breaking win at Cluden Park on Friday.

But Kenning said the home-bred Sidestep gelding will now press on to the $100,000 Townsville 2YO Classic at Cluden on June 10 and isn’t for sale – well not just yet.

Roweiner’s Dance shaved .03secs off Prospector Chief’s 24 year old 1000m track record with a run of 55.17secs.

The gelding leapt two lengths in front and streaked clear on a super quick surface  for an eight-length win in the Carlton & United Breweries QTIS 2YO Hcp with in-form apprentice Isabella Teh aboard.

“The time surprised me but he did run incredible time in his last win (55.97). He’s just going that well he’s a happy little horse. He is very exciting,” Kenning said.

“I told Isabella that if he looks like he’s got a bit on them don’t knock him around because there’s another race in a fortnight and she did everything perfectly.

“He’ll now go into the prelude, he’ll get a lot of weight but I’ll just have to claim 3kg again and look after him. The timing is perfect really.

“We have two weeks into the prelude and then three weeks into the big one so we really have to go around and it gives him the run over the 1200m.

“At the moment he’s racing the way he is because we do very little with him and keep him very fresh.

“When we go the 1200m I’ll do a little bit more with him and it won’t be a problem.”

“He’d have run 1200m today without a problem. 

“It wasn’t intentional to give him as many runs, the main aim was the big $100,000 coming up, but because he’s so happy and doing what he’s doing he just tells me ‘let me do something’.

“I use that just to keep him up and I just take him to the beach and give him a start here and there and that’s what he loves doing.

“He might well attract some interest now but he’s not for sale, not for now.”

Kenning and Bell bred Roweiner’s Dance themselves out of former good race mare Roweiner, who they trained.

They persevered with Roweiner to breed Roweiner’s Dance, their third foal, despite the first two by Love Conquers All and Sidestep arriving too small and too slow to make it to the races.

And now that Roweiner’s Dance is flying, they booked the mare for a return service to Sidestep this year after a two-year break.

“The way he’s been going we thought let’s go again. She’s still down on the stud and she’ll go back to him (Sidestep) this year,” Kenning said.

“Her first two foals were really very small, but this fella has a lot of size about him. He’s a nice big horse and hopefully she can throw another one.”

Roweiner’s Dance gave apprentice Teh a dream start to a big day which produced her first Townsville treble.

She led all the way on the Jeff Caught-trained Sheer Illusion in the Trackside Photography Mdn Hcp (1300m) and turned in a skilfull ride to bring Little Red Pepper from mid-field to win the Brown Brothers Cl2 Hcp (1300m).

Top flight sprinter Yes Dream remained unbeaten in seven starts at Cluden after winning desperate tooth-and-nail scrap with classy Cairns galloper Smart Image in the Hygain Open Hcp (1000m).

Resuming from a spell, Yes Dream, with Lacey Morrison in the saddle, defied a late charge from Smart Image to win by a nose, with Molongle Surprise the bravest of thirds a half-length away.

Winning trainer Michael Lee said Yes Dream’s will to win was again on display.

“I thought he was vulnerable today because the 1000m is not his best distance. Lacey rode him very well and he just never gives up,” Lee said.

“I’ll see how he pulls up and then look at where we go next. There’s no hurry and I don’t want him to get too much weight in the Cleveland Bay Hcp.”

Trevor Rowe, who trains Smart Image in partnership with his son Peter, was delighted with the five-year-old gelding’s performance.

“It was a terrific run. He’s looking for a bit further now and he couldn’t be going better.”

Pictured: Isabella Teh returns to scale aboard Roweiner's Dance after breaking the Cluden Park 1000 metre track record.  

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