Mario Briganti is ruing “visitors’ draws” for powerhouse brothers Big Opal Rocks and Rapaki Rocks in Thursday night’s heats of the Group 2 TAB Flying Amy Classic (520m) in Brisbane.
Big Opal Rocks and Rapaki Rocks, winner of the Group 1 Harrison-Dawson at Sandown Park last month, both trialled sensationally at Albion Park in preparation for the heats of the $100,000 to-the-winner Flying Amy last week.
Big Opal Rocks stopped the clock at a scorching 29.58sec, while Rapaki Rocks posted 29.76sec.
“They’ve ticked all the boxes, except for the box draw!”
However, Devon Meadows-based Briganti was less than impressed when the Kinloch Brae x Red Rocks siblings drew boxes eight and seven respectively for their heat assignments.
“They’ve ticked all the boxes, except for the box draw!” he lamented.
“It’s never easy from out there but they’ve got the ability to overcome it. There’s no doubt about that.
“I’m not overly concerned about Rapaki Rocks – he’s chasing great and will go around and inside other dogs – but Big Opal Rocks is my worry out there.
“There’s two of him. He either wins or runs nowhere – there’s no in between – and I’d just like to see a bit more consistency from him.”
WATCH: RAPAKI ROCKS (2) was an electrifying 29.34sec winner of the Group 1 Harrison-Dawson final (515m) at Sandown Park on May 19.
Click HERE for TAB’s latest Flying Amy Classic heat markets
Despite their wide alleys, TAB has installed Big Opal Rocks (heat 4) and Rapaki Rocks (heat 5) as $2.90 and $3.10 favourites for their run-offs.
Adding to the imposing Victorian presence will be Chic (heat 1), High End, Amron Boy, Photo Man and Dusty Bourbski (heat 2), McKeon Bale (heat 4), Kelsey Bale, Decimate and Pazienza (heat 5).
While Briganti elected to contest the age-restricted Classic with Big Opal Rocks and Rapaki Rocks, litter sister Jemima Rocks will contest the Pink Diamond Maiden Sprinter semi-finals at Warragul on Thursday afternoon after a Best Of Day 25.91sec heat victory on debut.
“Jemima Rocks broke in quite good but then came on season,” Briganti explained.
“She’d been trialling really nice but lacked match practice and field experience. She took it all in her stride and she’s well-boxed out there (Box 8) in her semi-final.
“There’s no ceiling with her – she might overtake the whole litter!
“Another girl from the litter, Milly Rocks, broke in the second quickest behind Big Opal Rocks, but unfortunately, she broke her pelvis. I could get her back but she’s too valuable as a brood bitch.
“The litter isn’t even two years old yet and mum (Red Rocks) is back in pup to Kinloch Brae again.”
BIG OPAL ROCKS winning in a flying 29.64sec at Wentworth Park during the Million Dollar Chase series.
