Star Rolling To Resume In P.B. Lawrence Stakes

Promising stayer Star Rolling is set to start his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday after impressing trainer Peter Morgan with a piece of work this morning.

Star Rolling is chasing his first win since he took out the Penang Trophy during his 2013 spring campaign.

Star Rolling is chasing his first win since he took out the Penang Trophy during his 2013 spring campaign. Photo by: Jenny Barnes

The Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18 is the major 2014 Spring Racing Carnival goal for Star Rolling and Morgan believes that the Casino Prince gelding will take a few runs before he is at his best, but is happy to run the five-year-old in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes this weekend.

“I think that we will run him,” Morgan said.

“He went to Caulfield this morning and I was pretty happy with his work.

“His coat hasn’t come out properly yet, but we have to start out somewhere.”

Star Rolling has not been seen at the races since he finished at the tail of the field in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 8, but he made his first public appearance of the season when he finished fourth behind talented sprinter Shamal Wind in a barrier trial over 800 meters at Cranbourne on August 4.

Morgan said that Star Rolling was not asked to do anything special in the barrier, but is happy with the Group 2 placegetters form at this stage of his preparation and is hoping that he can return to the form that he showed during his 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign.

“They didn’t run much time, but he did what we wanted him to do,” Morgan said.

“I was pretty happy with him and Steve was happy with him.

“At this stage I am more happy with him at the moment than I was last autumn.

“Let’s hope he is as good as he was last spring and he is going well.

“We are sort of heading towards all the big ones if he is good enough.”

Star Rolling has had just 11 race starts since making his racing debut in April of last year and he has always given Morgan the impression that he was capable of winning at the highest level.

The talented gelding won the Listed Penang Trophy (1800m) at Morphettville in Adelaide last year, but was unable to earn a start in the major races during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and he went on to show what he was capable of with strong efforts in the Group 3 Carlyon Cup (1600m) and Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) during the 2014 Melbourne Festival Of Racing.

Star Rolling currently available at a quote of $67 in the 2014 Caulfield Cup betting market with Ladbrokes Australia.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.