At Flemington today Mark Kavanagh produced yet another top line galloper in the form of We're Gonna Rock which stunned racegoers by winning the Fiesta Star Handicap.

Slowly out of the barriers, We're Gonna Rock took the best part of 500 metres to start racing truly under rider Michael Rodd.

Given a cut with the whip to get his mind on the job, We're Gonna Rock knuckled down to business at least 7 lengths off the odds on favourite Marconi in the lead.

Running his final 600m sectional into a head wind in a phenomenal 31.82 seconds, We're Gonna Rock ($3.00-$3.10-$3.00) overpowered Marconi ($1.60-$1.85F) to win going away by 1¼ lengths. Winter King ($5.00-$7.50) faded from second at the 400m to finish third another 1¼ lengths behind.

Rodd was not surprised to be so far behind Marconi in the middle stages.

"Obviously his first start up the straight having a good look round and he's a bit of a dopey bloke", Rodd observed.

"Once I gave him a crack round the arse he picked up and he felt enormous underneath me."

"I knew he could get to them, but it was a worry to go past them."

We're Gonna Rock's ability was obviously well known to Kavanagh who picked him up for $180,000 at last year's Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

"Believe it or not no", was Kavanagh's response when asked if he worried when We're Gonna Rock was so far behind.

"He's not a bad horse, this horse."

Unaccustomed to starting horses in the city at their first start if they are not up to the task, Kavanagh obviously had a good idea of the Fastnet Rock colt's ability when he entered him.

However, while he had participated in jumpouts, We're Gonna Rock had never actually won one according to Kavanagh.

He queried the imminent requirement for horses to trial publicly before they were permitted to race, on the basis that such triale were of no benefit to punters.

"This was a good old fashioned tip and this is the good thing about racing the way it is right now", he said.

Kavanagh admitted a couple of concerns pre-race.

"The straight was always questionable first start", he said.

"There were a few questions. Marconi is a really smart horse."

"I think a mile or maybe even 2000 metres", he thought.

"We'll wait and see."

"He's quite well bred and a little bit stout on the dam's side so it'll be hard to say."

We're Gonna Rock's dam is the Dehere mare Harrow, which could only win a Moe Maiden in a limited career. However his second dam is the Salieri mare Antelliere, which produced Group 1 winners Bluebird The Word and Porto Roca, as well as the stakes placed Aristocracy.

"I might give him another one and then ease him up", Kavanagh said.

"He might be a Guineas horse in the Autumn."

"I remember the first day he came back in for trackwork, I cantered him around by himself and there was something special about him", he said.

"He's got a great nature and just a massive engine."

Pictures - Fiona Tomlin & Quentin Lang

© Cyberhorse 2010 Bill Saunders Published 19/12/09