Freerocker after two on the trot

SYDNEY, Dec 21 - Promising three-year-old Freerocker, who lines up at Murwillumbah on Thursday, is a classic case of Casino-based owner-breeder and trainer Ian Savins being in the right place at the right time.

The Rock Of Gibraltar gelding, highly impressive winning a Ballina maiden last start, tackles the Tweed Formwork Benchmark 55 Hcp (1400m).

Savins was in Brisbane during the winter carnival when he got a whisper the late Tony Wildman had a well-bred mare, Freeroller, for sale.

Freeroller was stakes-placed and won four races.

"I managed to negotiate a deal privately," Savins said.

The mare's first foal was Leica Roller, by Al Maher, who won two races then she missed before producing Freerocker.

Freeroller subsequently has a foal at foot by Dylan Thomas and is in foal to Vinery-based American sire Congrats.

As a two-year-old when prepared by John Wallace on the Gold Coast, Freerocker was placed at Doomben and Ipswich and finished midfield in the Listed Ken Russell and Group Two Champagne Stakes before being transferred to Savins, mainly to take advantage of NSW's BOBS scheme.

In five starts for Savins, the gelding has produced two fourths, two placings and a last start 1-1/2-length win over 1405m at Ballina on December 10 when he charged home after getting held up until nearing the 200m.

Savins believes Freerocker can measure up to some of the minor races during the Brisbane winter carnival.

"I think he's a city-class horse. He'll have tomorrow then go out and I'll try and get him ready for Brisbane," Savins said.

"Eventually I think he'll get 1600 metres to 2000 metres. The best is still ahead of him.

"He's just been a very slow-maturing horse, always showed ability and he's only just starting to put it together.

"He's still growing, filling out, but finally getting over those baby issues."

Since winning at Ballina, with the success described by Savins as a good strong win, the trainer has kept Freerocker ticking over.

"When he got out after being boxed in at Ballina, he got to them very quickly, went right away," Savins said.

"He hasn't done much on the track since, he's a clean-winded animal, very fit now.

"I couldn't be happier with him."