Rocket Man on Comeback Trail

Rocket Man (Aus) (Viscount {Aus}), who made history by becoming the first–and only–Singapore-based horse to win a Group 1 on foreign soil, made a return from semi-retirement for a Tuesday morning barrier trial over 1000 metres of the Polytrack at Kranji Racecourse.

A winner of 20 of his 27 career appearances, including the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in 2011, Rocket Man has screws in his off-foreleg from a condylar fracture and suffered a twisted ligament a few years later, but a tendon injury suffered following a fourth straight win in the 2012 Lion City Cup was thought to have spelled the end of his career. Ironically, it is with a fifth crack at that race in mind that Rocket Man was trialling Tuesday.

Away smoothly from gate five in the six-horse heat–the day's fourth trial–Rocket Man landed in about third spot and was pulled out wide into the stretch by Barend Vorster. Ridden quietly throughout, the veteran traveled well enough into the final furlong and wasn't asked for much of an effort in crossing the line in fourth position (VIDEO). He had never lost any of his 30 previous trials, but his connections were not ruing that fact post-trial.

“We had to start somewhere. We didn't ask him to do too much today, just take it easy,” said Vorster, who had been defeated only once in eight rides aboard Rocket Man, in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint in 2011. “He felt exactly like the same old Rocket Man. He was ready to push forward but I held him back.

He continued, “Obviously, he didn't have the same dash in the end but it was all about holding him together to the line. He's pulled up good and we'll take it from there.”

With trainer Patrick Shaw home in South Africa, assistant trainers Ricardo Le Grange and Jacci de Tert both gave the Fred Crabbia colorbearer a satisfactory review.

“Barend was happy with the trial. Now that it's out of the way, we'll have him scanned and x-rayed just to make sure everything is okay,” said Le Grange, who remained non-committal about a full racing comeback. “We'll just take it as it comes. One thing at a time, but today's trial was one big step in the right direction.”