Doo you want me?

Mick Stanley’s top harness racing four-year-old Rock N Roll Doo (Rock N Roll Heaven) did his The Rising Sun chances no harm with a dominant first-up victory at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night.

Stanley is hoping to gain a start in Queensland’s feature for three and four-year-old pacers at Albion Park on July 9.

This year, the race has received a $50,000 prizemoney increase to $305,000 and also includes a $100,000 bonus for a three-year-old victor.

Rock N Roll Doo had not raced since running last in both the Group 1 Chariots of Fire and Schweppes Sprint at Menangle in February, but had little trouble handling his rivals in Saturday night’s Beraldo Pace.

After slowly working around to the front from barrier four, Rock N Roll Doo was able to control things out in front before powering clear in the sprint home to win by 8m on the line.

“I said last year through the Derby – and a few people might have scoffed at me a little bit – that this horse, I thought, was potentially the best horse I’ve trained,” Stanley said.

“And I think the way he keeps improving, he’s going to have every chance to prove that.”

ROCK N ROLL DOO REPLAY

Better Eclipse (Jess Tubbs), Ladies In Red (Emma Stewart), Ripp (Bernie Hewitt) and Leap To Fame (Grant Dixon) are the four horses already invited to The Rising Sun, with the winner of the Queensland Sun on July 2 also gaining a spot in the field. The other seven runners (and one emergency) will be decided by handicappers via the nomination process, which closes on July 4.

A Group 2 Paleface Adios Stakes winner at Menangle on February 12, Rock N Roll Doo has now won eight of 23 career starts.

“We all chase around a lot of horses to find a good one, and when you do find one like that it’s a great feeling,” Stanley said.

Stanley said Rock N Roll Doo would have one more run here in Victoria before heading north for the Queensland winter carnival.

For complete race results, click here.

by Tim O’Connor, for HRV