Blinkers tune up Rock The Bar at Geelong

Trainer Danny O’Brien held off the temptation to apply blinkers to the race day gear of Rock The Bar until it was totally necessary.

The Wilson Real Estate Handicap (1512m) at Geelong on Wednesday was the perfect time for the headgear to be applied, with the four-year-old son of Toronado registering his fourth career win at start number 13.

Ridden by Daniel Stackhouse, Rock The Bar ($4.20) scored by 1-½ lengths from the heavily backed $1.85 betting site favourite Entrusting with Charities ($9.50) a further 4-¾ lengths away third.

Rock The Bar is a big imposing type of galloper who was ideally suited around the Geelong circuit on Wednesday and was never in danger of defeat.

“Daniel said he wanted to be positive in a small field and that he was potentially going to lead, but there was one that was pretty keen to do that,” O’Brien said.

“They went a good gallop, but he’s a big, strong on-pace sort of horse that probably does appreciate that strong gallop the whole race.

“He always looked like he had it in control, but he was still a bit raw with the blinkers on for the first time, but he’s got another win on the board.”

Like a lot of the Toronado and High Chaparral breed, it was expected Rock The Bar would improve with blinkers.

Rock The Bar had finished seventh over 1500m on the Caulfield Heath track at his most recent start and appreciated getting on the bigger lay-out on Saturday.

“We’ve been waiting for him for a while to put them on,” O’Brien said.

“He’s a big, awkward sort of guy, and we haven’t been in a rush to do it, but I think we’ve had a good response from the blinkers today.

“He’s had a good career to date, and he should only get better as he’s a very big horse, and those horses generally, the older they get, the stronger they get.

“He’s definitely got more wins in store.”