Rock bottom for Gangemi stable after gelding ruled out of feature
STAR galloper Rock Magic has been ruled out of the upcoming feature sprint races in Perth after being lumped with a massive 62-kilograms by the handicapper.
The big weight was assigned for Saturday’s Scenic Blast Stakes (1200m) at Ascot, with trainer Chris Gangemi making the decision to withdraw his nomination prior to the final field being declared.
The winner of the Group 3 Prince of Wales Stakes (1000m) and a place-getter in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) late last year, Rock Magic’s recent form has cemented his status as the west’s best sprinter and assured he would be given a hefty handicap as a result.
However, Gangemi told HorseBetting.com.au he was shocked and extremely disappointed to receive 62 kilos, a heavier weight than he had anticipated.
“His rating is 106, which makes him the highest-rated sprinter in Perth – so therefore in these big races he is going to get given the 62 kilos every time unless he goes in a weight-for-age race, which there aren’t many of around here,” Gangemi said.
“I thought he might have got 59 or 60 kilos – we had a good horse named Werd a few years ago and his rating was 104, only two less than Rocky’s at the moment, and he was given 59 kilos in these same sort of races.
“Going on that he should only be getting around 60 kilos for these races, but they have obviously changed the way they [handicap] them now.
“He has been such a good horse, so they have to weight him accordingly, but it seems like he is being punished because of the lack of good horses here.”
Gangemi said he would have considered racing his stable star at 60kg, but says he won’t sacrifice the horse’s welfare by forcing him to carry the herculean weight assigned.
“With 60 we would have started him. With no disrespect to the other horses, Rock Magic is a class above a lot of them racing at the moment.
“Even with 60kg I still could have seen him winning or at least being very competitive, but 62 kilos is just ridiculous – it is eight kilos heavier than the minimum.
“With that being said, he could still probably go close to winning with the big weight, but he would really have to bust his guts to do it and it would hurt him too much.
“We don’t want to see that happen to him.”
The inability to race Rock Magic leaves Gangemi in a difficult position, with only a handful of events appropriate for him across the calendar year.
He now says he will have to travel interstate with the seven-year-old, a winner of 12 races and $809,016 in prize money.
“The last three races he contested over the carnival are really the only races which are suitable for him over summer. The next suitable race is in May called the Roma Cup, which is a weight-for-age race.
“There are only about four or five races a year which are suitable for him now in Perth, which means we are probably going to have to head over east at some point.
“We would prefer we didn’t have to go east to be honest – we think he’d have a chance because he is such a good horse but we have a big team of horses in work here so it would be hard to do both.”
Despite the disappointment of Rock Magic facing an uncertain future in Perth, Gangemi was still optimistic about the chances of his charges Durendal and King’s Troop in Saturday’s Scenic Blast Stakes.
“King’s Troop is a good chance and he should be able to run in the placings.
“But Durendal meets Volkoff two kilograms better than his last run, which was a very good performance – he should have won easily.
“Unless he has bad luck, if he can reproduce his last run, Durendal should be winning.
“If one of these guys can win tomorrow it will definitely help with the disappointment of the other bloke not being able to start.”
The Listed Scenic Blast Stakes is race five at Ascot on Saturday and will jump at 3.20pm local time.
Scenic Blast Stakes – 1200m
Divine Calling $11
Durendal $2.50 with Sportsbet.com.au
Volkoff $4.40
Potent Secret $13
Gigante $9.50
It’s It $7.50
King’s Troop $9
Pininci $34
Zuccheros $18