Trots Centre: Keith’s old-time Rocknroll Battle ready

Keith Cotchin’s optimistic tonight may offer more insights into the rise of one of his chargers and can’t help but be fearful it may spell the parting of ways with another.

The trainer has welcomed Rossini back into his camp and the four-year-old steps out in the Woodlands Stud Pace, where a strong performance could spark a tilt at a Breeders Crown trophy.

Cotchin will also ferry Rocknroll Noah to Tabcorp Park Melton for tonight’s HERO Battle Of The Claimers Final, with the now seven-year-old having been with the camp since owners Patrick Caddy and Ivan Cotchin snapped him up from a claiming race on October 8, 2018.

“I haven’t often paid much attention to the claimers but he’s been terrific for the owners since they claimed him,” Cotchin said.

In fact Rocknroll Noah’s had some 26 starts since joining Cotchin, returning $38,730 to more than quadruple the initial $9000 purchase.

“He’s been a really good consistent horse and he looks well placed (tonight),” he said.

Rocknroll Noah will step from gate four in tonight’s final, with Cotchin hoping for a similar forward running to his heat when he found the front and then handed up to favourite Bopper Jet, who won the sprint to the finish but with Rocknroll Noah third and just two metres in arrears.

“Hopefully there will be a bit of pace on and he can make a run at them,” Cotchin said.

But he also admitted he would be a bit heart-in-mouth about having a stable favourite on the claiming block, with Rocknroll Noah carrying a $9000 claiming price.

One race before Rocknroll Noah chases the $24,000 claimers title Rossini will step out in race three, which streams at 7.02pm on Trots Vision at thetrots.com.au.

The four-year-old Mach Three gelding has chopped and changed between Cotchin and James Rattray’s camps, previously racing for Cotchin between April and August last year when his run ended with a sixth in the Breeders Crown three-year-old silver pace.

Rossini has finished second and first in his two starts with Cotchin since rejoining the Elmore stable last month, including an eye-catching last start win at Shepparton, where reinsman Ryan Duffy used the gelding’s blistering gate speed to lead and control the race.

“He gets away very quickly and has good ability,” Cotchin said. “I think he may go on to be a country cups horse, but we will just have to see how he continues to develop.”

He said while the forthcoming Breeders Crown series was on the books, they would wait to see how Rossini responded tonight before deciding his path.

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