Trainer Simon Miller believes that Platinum Rocker is at her peak for the 2014 Dane Ripper Stakes that will be run at Eagle Farm this weekend.
Platinum Rocker finished second behind Srikandi in her first two starts during the 2014 Queensland Winter Racing Carnival. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Platinum Rocker started her 2014 Queensland Winter Racing Carnival campaign with a promising third in the Listed Silk Stocking at the Gold Coast on May 3 and she finished third behind Srikandi, once again, in the Group 3 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on May 24 – a race that Miller believes topped her off perfectly for the Dane Ripper Stakes.
The Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) is the major winter goal for Platinum Rocker, but Miller told Racing Ahead that he has the daughter of Love A Dane cranked up for the Dane Ripper Stakes this weekend.
“By all reports she has worked strongly again and has recovered well,” Miller said.
“I am happy with her going into that race, knowing that Srikandi is not there as well, which makes the assignment a bit easier.
“She is third-up, she is fit, she is ready to play and there is no Srikandi.
“This is a suitable race for her and on to the Tatt’s Tiara.
“I have got her cranked for this one knowing that moving forward to the Tatt’s Tiara that is going to be a much stronger race again.
“I planned to have her peak for this and just hold her for the next one, which you can do with her.
“I needed to peak her for a run leading into the Railway and I did that and we had three weeks leading into the Railway and she just missed and ran second.
“Once you have got her fit, you can maintain it pretty easy and that is where she is now.
“She will peak Saturday and then we will just hold her for the Tatt’s Tiara and hopefully we can get some more black type.”
Platinum Rocker will need to be at her best to score her second win at Group level in the Dane Ripper Stakes; with a number of talented fillies and mares included in the field for the Group 2 event.
Chris Waller-trained Catkins will be returning to the races for the first time since she finished a disappointing sixth in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 19, while Driefontein will be returning to fillies and mares company for the first time since she won the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) in Adelaide.
