Time has been called on the racing career of Group One winner On The Rocks.
“He had no luck this season with wet tracks and we've been lucky enough to secure a very good home for him which is more important,” said Pam Gerard who trained the gelding in partnership with Michael Moroney.
“He's going to Dylan Ferguson and Jo Stevens and their three-year-old daughter Gracie, and he absolutely loves her. No doubt we'll see him out in the show ring.”
As a colt, On The Rocks had a pleasing three-year-old term, winning the Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial (1500m), Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m), and placed in the Group 2 Auckland Guineas (1600m).
He returned in his four-year-old season to win the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) before recording his career highlight when victorious in the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m).
The grey was subsequently gelded, and while he recorded additional wins and was placed in the Herbie Dyke Stakes, he never quite rose to the same heights, and ended his racing career as an eight-year-old with seven wins and more than $500,000 in prizemoney.
“He was super earlier on when he was a colt,” Gerard said. “He wasn't the biggest in size, so increased weights were always going to slow him down in handicap racing, especially after his Group One win.
“I was pretty keen to keep going with the prizemoney the way it's going, but if he managed to win another race then he'd be at the top of the weights again.
“He's gone out sound and happy and we've found a really good home for him.”