Sentimental occasion for father-daughter combo

WIN, lose or draw Saturday night is going to be a sentimental occasion for Greg and Jemma Coney.

Poised to make a 10-hour round trip to Club Menangle, the father and daughter combination will contest a New South Wales Breeders’ Challenge True Blue Final.

In what will be their first Group One appearance, the Coneys will tackle the three-year-old colts’ and gelding division with Roclea Image.

Roclea Image earned his position in the $100,000 event with a solid fourth in a heat in September.

The gelding’s three subsequent starts have netted a win and two fourths, including a strong fourth against older company last week after racing in the ‘death seat’.

Roclea Image has been nothing if consistent this campaign, with four wins and six fourths from his last 10 starts.

“The night is going to be sentiment in itself,” Greg said. “Having a runner in a Group One being driven by my daughter is pretty special.

“It will be very special for both of us and if we happen to win it would be something else.

“He had a tough run the other day against older horses, but it was the kind of run to really sharpen him up and he has come through it well.”

Among the outsiders at $34 with TAB Fixed Odds, Roclea Image faces a tough task from barrier seven.

The son of Tintin In America slots into six with the removal of the emergency.

“I’m not overly confident, but if he gets into the right spot, you never know,” Greg said. “I took him down there a couple of starts ago to give him a look at the track and I was happy with his run.

“He got home in 54.3 seconds, which is nice enough.”