Rocky Balboa delivers knockout blow

Bruce Stewart Journalist

Excitement is tinged with sadness when Southland trainer Kirstin Green talks about her impressive debutant winner Rocky Balboa (American Ideal).

At the Wyndham HRC meeting at Central Southland Raceway today, the giant three year old sped out of the gate and dominated, winning by a length and a quarter from Off The Canvas.

“I was hanging on. He’s got lethal speed and he’s better coming off their backs. As you saw in the prelim today, he’s still got a lot of learning to do,” Green said.

Rocky Balboa was bred by the late Wayne ‘Ox’ McEwan and is named after a fictional character in a  2006Slyvester Stallone movie. He’s out of McEwan’s American Ideal mare Leah Mac which won three races.

McEwan trained on his own account but also had horses with Green. The partnership won seven races with Tommy Waterhouse, including the Listed Uncut Gem and Macca Lodge South of the Waitaki, both at Addington.

“He’s a very special horse to a lot of people including the McEwan family and everyone that was associated with Ox over the years. Ox just loved the horse. He put him through the sales with a pretty high reserve on him. He didn’t sell, so he just brought him home. It means the world to do that for the big fella. It’s a shame he’s not here, this was the horse he was waiting for. He’s had nice horses but this one’s a special horse.”

The three year old was made hot favourite after qualifying impressively last month and Green admits this week has played on her nerves.

“You just wanted to get it ticked off. I wanted him to win first up in respect of Ox. I was silently putting a bit of pressure on myself. He jumped on his heel during the week. As you know with good horses it’s never plain sailing. It’s a sense of relief to tick that off.”

And Green gets the feeling this pacer could be her next good horse.

“I’d like to think so. He’s definitely up there. You don’t like to compare horses, but he’s certainly got the speed that U May Cullect had. He gives you a very similar feel, especially coming off the gate.”

There was some early interest from buyers to purchase the gelding, but that has waned.

“There was last year, but people are aware that he fractured a hind cannon bone last year after he went to his second trial. He had to be boxed and in the yard for a long time. We just gave him an extra month out on top of what Brendan Bell (vet) recommended, jogged him up, got him x-rayed and Brendan said you’d never know that he’s had it.”

So what’s planned For Rocky Balboa now?

“We’ll see how he comes through today. I’ve earmarked a race for him up the road (Addington) to give him that trip away and experience while he’s still down the grades a bit.”