Dubai Carnival Contest II

[PatCummings]

NoChance...

Rocks Off was respected last week when coming back in the 2000 Guineas but repeated his lackluster form. I'm reading into him here...so follow me...

He had good form in South Africa, with that G1 on turf for juveniles...but was clearly well-respected by DeKock when he put him in the conditions race on DIRC Night 2 (the same race won previously for the same connections as Asiatic Boy and Honour Devil). My problem is this...if DeKock really liked him (as if he was the same horse he thought he had at the beginning of the Carnival), do you really think he'd bring him back in a lower-level turf race just a week later?

Now, the reverse logic is fair - third off the layoff, dirt to turf, weight break, vulnerable field. I understand it. In my newsletter on DubaiRaceNight.com, I said that I think everyone in the field has a chance save #6 Flying Blue - so to have Rocks Off pop a big one...entirely possible.

It's a gut instinct, but I think his reappearing here is now a "let's see if he's ok and maybe he'll get his groove back (like Stella) on the turf."

I don't want my money to be part of the experiment...so I'll watch this one.