Pfieffer hoping sprinter can go Rocketing By in Eye Liner Stakes

Group Three winner Rocketing By has become a little like Goldilocks when it comes to track conditions – he needs them to be just right.

With the surface rated a soft 5 ahead of the six-year-old’s assignment in Saturday’s Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) at Ipswich, Rocketing By is set to strike his favoured conditions as he bids to end a 20-month drought from the winner’s list.

“He is one of those horses now that needs speed, needs that softer track,” trainer David Pfieffer said.

“He’s a bit picky on what sort of tracks he is on. A good four is too firm, a soft seven is too wet, so he is a bit particular.

“But he’s honest enough and he’s working well at home. We just need a bit of luck on the day now.”

A backmarker, Rocketing By has won five of his 36 starts but two of those have been in lucrative races.

He collected the $1 million Inglis Sprint at three and landed a boilover result in the $2 million Sydney Stakes the spring before last.

That 2022 victory is his most recent, but he has run some competitive races since and Pfieffer has been happy with the horse’s recent efforts, including a luckless seventh in the Wagga Town Plate when he was held up for clear running for much of the straight.

Saturday’s race will be new territory for Rocketing By, who extends beyond 1300m for the first time, but Pfieffer feels it is the right time of the horse’s career to roll the dice.

“It will be his first time over 1350, although he’s had a couple of runs over 1300 and gone well,” Pfieffer said.

“It will be a new angle but as he’s getting older and he has been out of the winner’s circle for a while, you’ve got to try something different.”

Robbie Dolan rode Rocketing By to his maiden win and will reunite with the gelding on Saturday.