Written by Paul Vettise
Lloyd Kennewell has only one representative on his home course on Saturday and there is an air of confidence about Esta La Roca (NZ) (El Roca) continuing her winning form.
The Caulfield conditioner, who this week announced he will be joining the training ranks at Cranbourne later this year, is delighted with the filly’s progress ahead of the Neds Toolbox H.
Esta La Roca collected three wins and two placings from her first two preparations and following an autumn spell she produced a dominant front-running display to successfully resume at the beginning of this month.
“She’s been going really well and she’s very speedy and sharp and has come back a bit bigger and stronger this campaign so hopefully she keeps rolling along,” Kennewell said.
Esta La Roca has posted all four of her victories up to 1000 metres, a distance she is again set to fly over on Saturday with Joe Bowditch, who has a successful association with the stable, to take the reins.
“The trip is her go at the moment and she’s got a high-cruising speed so she looks particularly well-suited to the race,” Kennewell said.
“I’ve got a couple of races in mind for her, but I want to get through Saturday first and see her take the step to Saturday grade.
“The trip is her (Esta La Roca) go at the moment and she’s got a high-cruising speed so she looks particularly well-suited to the race.” – Lloyd Kennewell
“She’s won at Moonee Valley and at Sandown and we’ll see how she goes at Caulfield before making any future decisions where she’ll end up.”
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Esta La Roca was bought out of Baramul Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale by Kennewell for $47,500.
There is plenty of pace in the pedigree that features the multiple Group 1-winning sprinter Bentley Biscuit (Peintre Celebre {GB}), the G1 Stradbroke H. winner and successful but ill-fated sire Thorn Park and G3 Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies) and G1 Blue Diamond S. placegetter World Peace (Danehill {USA}).
She is a half-sister to the Listed Macau Guineas winner Gold Alloy (Testa Rossa) and their dam Camouflaged (Strategic) is a half-sister to the Listed Wagga Wagga Gold Cup winner Landlocked (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Esta La Roca (NZ) winning at Sandown-Hillside
Cranbourne popular choice
Meanwhile, Kennewell announced on Thursday that he will move his Victorian operation to Cranbourne, having spent the last three years at Caulfield since relocating from South Australia.
“There’s not too many places to go, there’s only one metropolitan training facility so you have to go to a dedicated training facility. There will be more money tipped in to keep it up to standard,” Kennewell said.
“We’re excited and waiting for the final part of the plan to go through and then building will start. We’ll move sometime later in the year and we’ll probably have 32 boxes.”
Kennewell will join fellow Caulfield trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, John Moloney and Clinton McDonald in the move to Cranbourne.
Lloyd Kennewell
