They may have Group 1 winning form but Robert Smerdon’s smart mare Lone Rock remains one of the real roughies in the 2012 William Reid Stakes odds for Friday night’s Moonee Valley sprint.
Robert Smerdon will saddle up Lone Rock in the 2012 William Reid Stakes on Friday night
Scheduled to run as Moonee Valley Race 6 at 9:15pm (VIC time) the $400,000 Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) field and markets are clearly led by John McNair’s last-start Newmarket Handicap champion Hay List.
After McNair notified stewards of some slight bruising on the galloper’s inside heel, Hay List has eased out slightly from $1.30 to $1.35 in the William Reid Stakes betting markets at bookmaker.com.au.
While Hay List tops the odds, two of his seven rivals occupy the last line of betting paying $31 each with the Peter Moody-trained Mid Summer Music and Lone Rock.
Fastnet Rock four-year-old Lone Rock is an elite level winner over the distance having beating home the late great Crystal Lily in The Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville last May.
They have won one of their five runs since then taking out the Group 3 Bobbie Lewis (1200m) at Flemington over Bel Sprinter in September.
Lone Rock resumed with a first-up fifth behind last year’s William Reid Stakes winner Black Caviar in the Lightning Stakes but was disappointing last start when beating home just one other runner to finish 21st in the Newmarket.
Smerdon is confident that against a smaller field on Friday evening Lone Rock can bounce back and be far more competitive than they were in the Newmarket.
“We were going to give her a short break but I suppose you can forgive them one bad run,” Smerdon said.
“Last time she was disappointing without explanation.
“We gave her a few easy days after the Newmarket and then did a few checks and blood tests and everything came up clear.
“She hasn’t missed a beat and because she is so well in herself, the decision was made to go for this race.
Smerdon also gained confidence looking back over her form when Lone Rock was beaten eight lengths first-up last time in by Kulgrinda in the Listed Printhouse Graphics Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley before her Bobbie Lewis triumph.
“She’s put in a bad run before but she can bounce back and that’s what we are hoping for Friday night,” Smerdon said.
Lone Rock also has winning form at Moonee Valley from September 2010 when she won the Group 3 Champagne Stakes (1200m).
“She’s been quite effective at Moonee Valley, and at night,” Smerdon added.
“Her form was great with a third in the Lightning and she loves Moonee Valley.
“Despite that it’s still a tall order at weight-for-age, at least we’ll know where she’s at.”
Other notable William Reid Stakes hopefuls this year include Newmarket second and third placegetters Buffering and Foxwedge, and Buffering’s Oakleigh Plate winning stablemate Woorim.
Access all the 2012 William Reid Stakes betting odds and options online at bookmaker.com.au today and bet with confidence knowing you are getting the best odds in the country!
