American Pharoah (USA) looks to have a potential top liner in Riff Rocket, who was in a race of his own in Saturday’s ABC Bullion Super Impose Stakes (1800m) at Flemington.
Awkwardly positioned three back the fence, James McDonald found a narrow seam at the 300m, and once Riff Rocket saw daylight, he powered clear to defeat the Zoustar colt Sunsource by a widening five and a half lengths.
The Dundeel gelding Fistsoffury was half-neck back in third.
All roads lead to the Victoria Derby for the Chris Waller-trained gelding, who advances his record to three wins and a second from five starts with earnings of $153,750.
“He’s gone to a new level after the last run in Sydney at Rosehill. That was a good run,” Waller marvelled.
“He did a good job here in the winter, and it was a lovely ride from James McDonald. He’s good at that, isn’t he?
“Naturally, he’ll go through to the Derby. Whether he has another city run or goes to the Geelong Classic, I’m not too sure, but I’ll have a talk to Debbie (Kepitis) and the family.
“I’ll talk to Lara, who manages the family’s horses. ‘Have a bit of fun’, is what they’ll tell me.”
James McDonald was no less enthusiastic.
“It was a good performance, and it was good to see him put them to the sword,” he said
“He was there a long way from home, and he could have stargazed a bit, but he accelerated beautifully.
“This was the first time I’ve sat on him, and I don’t think I’ll get off him.
“I love that for such an immature horse, he popped away from the stalls and went to sleep straight away.
“I assume that Chris will put him on a Derby path and with that acceleration over a little bit further - he’s still got to run 700 metres further - but he’s got the right attributes.”
A homebred for Debbie Kepitis’ Woppitt Bloodstock that was foaled and raised at Coolmore, Riff Rocket is the first winner from two to race for the Smart Missile mare Missile Coda, the winner of five of her 13 starts and runner-up to Savannah Amour in the Listed Hinkler Stakes at Doomben.
A $400,000 Magic Millions yearling, Missile Coda is out of the talented Lonhro mare Rain Melody, a three-quarter sister to I Believe (dam of multiple Group II winner and Group 1-placed Rain Affair and Listed winner Ranges), and a half-sister to Listed winner Walk Alone.
Missile Coda has a 2-year-old Nicconi filly named Codetta and was covered by Home Affairs last spring.
Missile Coda is the 39th black-type winner for the former Coolmore shuttler American Pharoah (USA).
