Roweiner is Back with New Tests Ahead

Lightning is the word that readily comes to mind for slick Townsville sprinter Roweiner’s Dance.

A winner of nine of his 13 starts over the 1000m at Cluden Park, one in record time, the flying son of Sidestep has been a pin-up for punters.

But his trainer Bill Kenning will launch what he hopes will be a new phase in the four-year-old’s career when he resumes over his favoured 1000m at Cluden on Thursday.

Kenning is warning punters not to expect the gelding to be wound up and at his electrifying best.

This week’s run will be the start of a long, steady campaign aimed at testing the home-bred gelding over 1400m and possibly further.

“He wasn’t doing that well in the paddock so we brought him back in. He hasn’t had a lot of work, no barrier trial just been coming along steady,” Kenning said.

“He’ll be a bit underdone when he goes around on Thursday but class might prevail.

“I’m not expecting to go there and win. He’s got the grand stand with 62.5kg but will get a couple of kilos off his back with Gabby (Semmens) who’s won on him.”

Kenning has always believed Roweiner’s Dance was more than just a short course sprinter. 

He points to the young galloper’s mum, the Not A Single Doubt mare Roweiner, who won nine races from 1300m up to 2200m.

Roweiner’s Dance showed a glimpse of what might lay ahead in December 2023 with a last to first win with 62.5kg over 1300m, beating stablemate Beau Rain who later won the Townsville Guineas over a mile.

“The plan this time is to not just sprint him and get him out over longer. He’ll go around in 1000m now, first-up, and I won’t be in a hurry with him after that - just long steady work,” Kenning said.

“When things have cooled off and the wet’s gone we’ll map out a plan for him then.

“But he’s bred to stick on. He’s a funny horse and a bit of a nutter.

“He’s an older horse now and if I can just settle him down and put the long, steady work into him we will see the best of him.

“I think he’s a 1400m horse down the track a bit. Before with the QTIS money so good and mostly in short races you couldn’t knock it back so we were keeping him mad fresh and sprinting him.

“There’s no more QTIS money now that he’s four, so you’ve got to settle down and look at whether he’ll get over ground. 

“I’m sure we haven’t got to the bottom of him.”

The winner of $232,000 in prize money, Roweiner’s Dance will face just five opponents in his return race, the Great Northern Brewing Co Brewing BM75 Hcp (1000m) and will jump from an ideal draw in barrier 2.

Kenning is also looking forward to starting the quirky Kidston, a leading hope in the Mitavite 0-55 Hcp (1200m).

A $250,000 yearling by I Am Invincible out of Metaphorical, was a flop in the south east before joining the Kenning stable last winter.

The four-year-old has won two of his seven starts in the north, including a dominant last to first win over 1200m at Cluden on February 13.

Kenning expects the gelding to be hard to beat again on Thursday.

“We’ve just started working him out. He’s half terrified of other horses so we’re just riding him cold and getting around them,” Kenning said.

“That’ll always be hard in bigger fields. It wasn’t a strong field last time and it’s much the same this week so if he gets any luck same again.”

The seven card on Thursday kicks off at 1.27pm.