Mick's boy ready to show he can Doo it on the big stage

THE time has come to find out what the real Rock N Roll Doo is made of.

A string of bad barriers in big feature assignments has frustrated trainer-driver Michael Stanley, who rates his untapped gelding up there with the best of his four-year-old peers.

In his three Group 1 appearances so far – the 2021 Victoria Derby and Breeders Crown and Vicbred Super Series finals – Stanley’s charge has started from wide on the back row in gates 10, 13 and 12.

Aside from his Derby failure, when he was three wide on the last lap and eventually galloped, Rock N Roll Doo has been ultra-competitive in the elite tests with a gutsy fourth to Act Now in the Breeders Crown and fifth to Bondi Lockdown in the Vicbred.

Tonight he’s finally off the front row in a big one, with his gate four draw for this evening’s DNR Logistics 4YO Bonanza at Tabcorp Park Melton placing him inside a number of key rivals, including Act Now (13) and Bondi Lockdown (six).

“I’m going to be really aggressive early,” Stanley said. “It’s a good draw. 

“In the Breeders Crown I circled them and sat outside the leader and ran fourth to Act Now, so we know he can work. I’m really looking forward to seeing him lead one day and I’m hoping it’s this week. I think if we can manage to find ourselves in front, he’ll really seriously give them something to chase.”

Stanley has always had a good opinion of the son of Rock N Roll Heaven, but getting him to show something close to his potential has taken time.

After taking his charge to the vets, complaining that he wasn’t stretching at full pace, Stanley said an X-ray finally found a chip in his hock.

Rock N Roll Doo, who is raced by Brendan James and is a half-brother to Stanley’s top race mare Iolanta, sits on the fifth line of betting at $14 for the 4YO Bonanza, which carries direct qualification into the $250,000 Chariots Of Fire, run at Tabcorp Park Menangle on February 19.

Join Sky Racing’s harness team of Brittany Graham and Gareth Hall, alongside trots form expert Steve Cleave for live and extended coverage from Tabcorp Park Melton this Friday and Saturday night. Featuring interviews with the key players, detailed pre-race analysis along with all the colour and excitement of the Great Southern Star and A.G. Hunter Cup nights. Download the Sky Racing Active App from the App or Play Store today.

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