Mario Briganti subscribes to the theory that if they’re good enough, they’re old enough, boldly throwing powerful youngster Big Opal Rocks in the deep end in the Group 1 TAB Australian Cup heats this Saturday.
Big Opal Rocks was one of the star performers on the opening night of the Australian Cup Carnival at The Meadows last Saturday, claiming his fifth straight win in an Australian Cup preliminary.
The hulking 35-kilogram son of Kinloch Brae and Red Rocks, which doesn’t turn two until June 13, clocked 29.75sec, just two lengths behind Aston Rupee’s blistering performance in the G1 Temlee.
Big Opal Rocks is unbeaten in three appearances at The Meadows, running 29.75sec twice, and the biggest test of his six-start career now awaits in the heats of one of the great races on the Australian calendar.
“He’s only 19 months of age and he’s up against the big boys, but he doesn’t know how old he is.”
“He’ll probably be the youngest dog in the series but I’m happy to throw the big boy in,” Pearcedale-based Briganti said.
“On ability it’s no problem.
“The only downside is he’s only 19 months of age, but he doesn’t know what age he is.
“He might be three or four months too young, but he’s got the ability, no doubt about it, and I’m a big believer you’ve got to throw them in the deep end at some stage and they’re usually better for it.
“Without any disrespect, when you’re racing against lower class dogs, they can get in your way, whereas against better dogs the racing is cleaner.
WATCH: BIG OPAL ROCKS (2) claimed his fifth win from six starts with a runaway 29.75sec victory in an Australian Cup preliminary at The Meadows last Saturday night.
“He’s very strong and is all last section, but I’d like to think he can find a length or two early, which he probably needs to.
“In six months he could be a middle distance/staying type, although he might be too brilliant to stay. He’s a lot quicker than Manila Knight (2020 G1 Bold Trease winner) was at the same age.”
Briganti is hoping for an inside draw to boost Big Opal Rock’s heat prospects; however if his audacious Australian Cup bid doesn’t pan out, he has an attractive ‘Plan B’ in place.
“It will come down to box draws. If you draw six, seven or eight at The Meadows with a young dog, you’re in trouble,” he said.
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“But we’ll have a crack and they’ll know he’s in the race, especially over the last couple of hundred metres because he’s so strong and powerful.
“If he gets beaten, I’ll get him ready for the (G3) Launching Pad.
“If he wins on Saturday, that’ll be his sixth win, so if he wins another race he won’t be eligible for the Launching Pad. But I won’t be too worried about that if he wins the Australian Cup!”
On Wednesday afternoon at The Meadows, Briganti has two of Big Opal Rocks’ litter brothers – Rapaki Rocks and Black Spartacus – engaged in the semi-finals of the G3 GRV Vic Bred Maiden series, the final of which will be held on Australian Cup night.
Both ran second in their heats, with Rapaki Rocks producing a monstrous effort behind fastest qualifier Deadly Class after blowing the start badly.
“They’re not far off Big Opal Rocks,” Briganti said.
“They’ve always been about a month behind him because of a few little issues after break-in.
“They need to grow up a little bit – Big Opal Rocks is more mature – but they’ve both got a lot of ability and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they both won their semi-finals.
“Rapaki Rocks was massive in his heat. He went down on his nose at the start and actually grazed both his knee caps but picked himself up and ran second in the Best of the Day. He was the run of the race, even though the winner ran 29.88sec.
“They’re very strong too. You might see the three of them running in the Bold Trease next year!”
Big Opal Rocks clocked 29.75sec at The Meadows for the second time in his six-start career last Saturday.
