Rock N Roll Doo out of Waikato Flying Mile

By Adam Hamilton

A hoof abscess threatens to derail star Victorian pacer Rock N Roll Doo’s quest to win tomorrow week’s $1m Race By Grins at Cambridge.

Caretaker trainer Cran Dalgety had to scratch the former Victoria Cup winner from tonight’s $60,000 McMillan Equine Feeds Flying Stakes at Cambridge when he was “quite lame” this morning.

And now it’s a question of when the abscess will burst as to whether Dalgety and regular trainer Mick Stanley can have Rock N Roll Doo right for the Grins.

“It’s a bugger,” Dalgety said, “there’s been a niggle there and it’s got worse. We hoped the abscess burst before now because they can be right to go really quickly once that happens.

“But he’s quite lame today and certainly can’t race.

“Now it’s a waiting game. We’re doing everything to try and draw it out and that’ll be crucial as far as next week goes.

“We will get an x-ray done today to make sure there’s nothing more sinister, but we’re pretty certain it’s just an abscess at the wrong time.

“If the x-ray looks good, which we expect it will, then we can exercise him to keep his fitness up< but how quickly the abscess comes out is the key.”

It’s the latest heartbreak around NZ races for Rock N Roll Doo’s connections.

He struggled with standing-starts and didn’t have the success many expected during an NZ Cup campaign in late 2022.

Then, Rock N Roll Doo landed a slot in last year’s Race By Grins, but some niggling issues and form slump saw Stanley and owner Brendan James abort the trip.