Rocker Band lowers mile best

ROCKER BAND LOWERS MILE BEST

Well-performed racemare Rocker Band, completing the twilight of her race career in the New South Wales barn of Tim Butt, lowered her Menangle winning best to 1:51.8 when taking out the Ladyship Stakes at Menangle, on Tuesday, December 17.

Driver Sam Ottley gives a salute as Rocker Band wins the 2016 $150,000 Harness Jewels 4YO Diamond for the Mark Jones stable.

Her previous best was a 1:52.1 winning mile rate over 1720m at Melton in the Alabar Ladyship Cup in February, 2017.

She had also won her previous start at Melton in a 1:52.3 rate over 1720m.

The daughter of Rocknroll Hanover and NZ Cup-winning mare Mainland Banner led throughout on Tuesday in the hands of Chris Geary, holding as a $2.30 favourite for her 13th career win from 57 starts, taking her earnings to $355,574.

Rocker Band, who has been raced throughout her career with Gold Coast owner Greg Brodie, is to return to the ownership of Burnham trainer Mark Jones at the completion of her race career.

Mark made Rocker Band available for her racing to Mr Brodie as a replacement for another who didn’t perform up to expectations several season ago.

Rocker Band, bred this season with champion sire Bettor’s Delight, won the 2016 Group One Harness Jewels Diamond at Cambridge in 1:53.3 in the hands of Samantha Ottley.

She was also a runner-up to Dream About Me in the Group One 2016 Rosslands Queen Of Hearts at Auckland, before taking her career across the Tasman.