Rocker was unable to continue his winning form on debut in Sydney

Eagle Farm trainer Kelly Schweida is bitterly disappointed after his star four-year-old Rocker was bested by So So Surein Sydney last weekend.

Prior to his last start, the Fastnet Rock entire has won three of his four race start, as well as an 810 metre barrier trial.

The horse, who was purchased for $35,000 at the 2009 Inglis Easter Yearling Sales, has now won three of his five career runs and earned close to $40,000 in prize money.

Rocker was beaten by a nose in the Guaranteed $1M TAB Big6 at Rosehill on December 10 after failing to run on in the final straight.

“I was a bit disappointed, I thought he was there to put that horse away but he didn’t,” Schweida said.

The trainer said there were a few excuses for the performance, with his last run being almost a month earlier.

“He missed a bit of track work,” Schweida said.

“He hadn’t run for three and a half weeks.

“I was a little disappointed, I sooked for a day and then I was right.”

It was also the first time Rocker had races with the addition of the cross-over nose band to his racing gear.

“He does resent it a fair bit,” Schweida admitted.

“That’s the first time he’s raced with it on.”

Schweida had also hoped Rocker would be ridden negatively in the race, however, the barrier draw of three meant the horse was forced to settle further forward than he had hoped.

“The way the race was going to be run, we were probably never going to be able to ride him the way we wanted to ride him,” he said.

Rocker has now returned to his Brisbane stables and is likely to have one more run next Saturday before heading to the spelling paddock.

“He’s home, if he recovers alright he’ll run Saturday week in a 1350 (metre race),” Schweida said.

“I would assume he’d get 54 (kilograms) plus.”