Rokanori steps up to fill the boots of Phanta in Nicopolis Stakes, preserving Gangemis’ feature sprint run

Despite the absence of stable flagbearer Phanta, the Gangemi brothers continued their dominant run in recent weeks as Rokanori stepped up to take the $100,000 Nicopolis Stakes (1200m) at Belmont. Sooled out of the stalls to hold his ground, the $15 TABtouch chance was eventually shuffled to three-back the fence as Puli ($18) found his favourite role in front. Meanwhile, Final Siren ($2.70) had glided across to second place before tucking in briefly behind the pacesetter to get some valuable mid-race cover. With 600m to go and Rockin’ Rupert ($19) coming under pressure outside him, Jordan Turner was able to angle Rokanori away from the fence and onto the back of Boots Like Bruce ($11) before peeling wider upon straightening. With 250m remaining, Final Siren had moved to master Puli, but Rokanori was now beginning to find his rhythm down the middle of the track. By the 200m, the margin stood at two lengths but Rokanori persistently made ground with every stride, chipping into the deficit and reining Final Siren in. With 75m left and Turner riding hard, the seven-year-old son of Awesome Rock levelled with his main foe and forged away, dashing clear to score by a length from Final Siren. Market elect Stormchaser ($2.35f) settled at the back of the field and could make no meaningful inroads, battling into a six-length seventh of eight. With Phanta leading the charge in both the Belmont Newmarket and Idyllic Prince Stakes, pressure fell on Rokanori to deliver after his in-form stablemate was ruled out in the nomination period. “Unfortunately, Phanta should’ve been here but he’s not, so this bloke has done the job,” Chris Gangemi said. “His two runs back this prep have been really good, and we’ve been really happy with them. “We weren’t sure about the 1400m back to 1200m in a week but when we nominated and he drew barrier one, and there were only eight in it, we thought ‘he’ll go around’. “I wouldn’t say he’s a nice horse to have around but when they run like that, you put up with them. “Last prep, he was only fair, like all of our horses were going at that time. “Now, the stable’s in form and he’s been able to win one, which is good.” Chris and brother Michael are striking at more than 20 percent this season, with King Adviso and Phanta (both twice) joined by Corn Cob and Rokanori in their winners’ list. They hold a slot in Kalgoorlie’s Golden Saddle (1200m) slot race on October 4, and now have another candidate to send out for the feature race. “Now that Phanta’s in trouble and we lost another one that had a problem before he even started here, we’re down to this bloke and King Adviso,” Chris Gangemi said. “We’ll see how he (King Adviso) goes next week but this bloke’s definitely put his hand up, for sure.” Turner agreed that Saturday’s performance credentialled Rokanori as an outside hope in the event. “He’s probably going to have two to three weeks freshen-up into it,” he said. “I’ll probably just leave it up to them but I think a 1200m ridden like that, he’s a sneaky chance. “I think he’s just come back a better horse. “Last prep, he wasn’t right, I don’t think. “Gangemis, their team is flying at the moment, and they’ve got this horse going really well. “The pace was on but he seemed to travel quite well, and got through the going good.”