Rocky’s Treasure entered the picture within the staying novice chase division, with an emphatic victory in the Grade 2 December Novices’ Chase at Doncaster on Saturday afternoon.
The seven-year-old has already picked up a wealth of experience this season, winning his opening three starts over the larger obstacles, with successes at Kelso, Fakenham and Wetherby, before the son of Westerner was set his biggest test to date when finishing second in the Grade 2 John Francome at Newbury’s Ladbrokes Trophy card earlier in the month.
His progress over that time has been particularly impressive, with his official mark rising by 16 pounds to the 147 he entered Saturday’s 2m 7f contest with, and unsurprisingly he was sent off as the 11/8 favourite for the Kim Bailey yard.
Making almost all of the running, Rocky’s Treasure was pushed clear by David Bass from the third-last, and from that point, he just went further and further clear – ultimately returning 17 lengths in front of fellow Irish point-to-point graduate, Theclockisticking in the £40,000 contest.
He is the second former Irish pointer to advertise his RSA Chase claims within 48 hours, as Sean Doyle’s Ballinaboola graduate and former Grade 1 winning hurdler The World’s End is now only top-priced 16/1 for the Grade 1 prize at Cheltenham in March, after his convincing success around Prestbury Park on Friday afternoon.
Rocky’s Treasure, who had made a winning debut in a Curraheen maiden for Declan Queally before being purchased by Bailey for £60,000 at the Cheltenham May sale, is now a general 20/1 shot for the feature race in the staying novice chase division in the spring.
A horse really going places - only beaten by RSA favourite Santini so far over fences, Rocky's Treasure secures the Grade 2 December Novices' Chase at @DoncasterRaces in emphatic style for @kimbaileyracing... pic.twitter.com/YtJLBe47Gt
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 15, 2018
