Heza Punk Rocker On Song In Group One

Heza Punk Rocker (NZ) (Rock N Roll Heaven) proved the best could still be yet to come, following his speeding victory in the Group One A$150,000 Vicbred Super Series Four-Year-Old Entires & Geldings Final (2240m) at Melton on Saturday night.

The NZB Standardbred graduate charged home, despite the front markers running sizzling final sectionals, to score a career-best win for trainer Emma Stewart and driver James Herbertson.

Heza Punk Rocker was handy throughout the feature event, but final 400m splits of 26.8sec and 27.1sec set the horse a big task to win.

It was one the New Zealand bred was up to as he kept finding the line under Herbertson’s urgings to score a big victory.

 “Considering the last half (800m) and him having to come three-wide off the track and win, it was a big effort,” Herbertson said.

Following the New Zealand bred’s brilliant win, Herbertson is sure Heza Punk Rocker has a bright future ahead, especially considering the horse has only had eight career starts.

“He has got ridiculous high speed and a great gait, he has got a long way to go.”

Heza Punk Rocker was offered by his breeders Emmett and Sean Daly at the 2021 National Yearling Sale at Christchurch and purchased by Jeanette Brown.

The pacer won two of his five starts in New Zealand before joining Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin at Tonkin Stewart Racing after being purchased and syndicated by prominent Australian owners Summit Bloodstock and Aaron Bain Racing, with Brown remaining in the ownership.

Heza Punk Rocker ran fourth in his semi-final of the Vicbred Super Series in just his second start in Australia before improving off that run and producing a Group One winning performance on Saturday night.

“Clayton said he would be better again this week and when he says that they usually are,” Herbertson said.

“He was better again, I can’t take much credit for that one, I just gave him a good spot and the horse did the rest from there.”

Punk Rocker is from the Dalys’ well-performed former race mare RR Sand Dollar (NZ) (Rob Roy Mattgregor.

The mare is a half-sister to Group One Interdominion winner Cast No Shadow (NZ) (Shadow Play) and Group Two winner and NZB Standardbred graduate Ragazzo Mach (NZ).