Rojo Diamond As Well As Ever For Thousand Tilt

TASSIE star Rojo Diamond goes into the heats of the Group 1 Hobart 1000 (461m) on Thursday night off a freshen up but with part-owner and trainer Robin Grubb confident he is racing as well as ever.

Rojo Diamond (Fabregas-Sing The Song) is the winner of an amazing 36 races and was a great third to Fernando Mick in last year's Hobart 1000.

The dog turns four on Boxing Day.

FIELDS AND FORM HOBART THURSDAY NIGHT

“He's still running his best times,” said Robin of his classy galloper.

In 67 starts he has won 36 times and been placed 18 times for stakes of $182,000.

“We have spaced his races out to keep him going,” said Robin. “But, he is primarily a one-turn dog and Hobart suits him perfectly.

“He likes to wind up in the back straight and use that first turn to suit.

“He's a great chaser.”

Robin says he has freshened up the dog since his last two wins at Hobart on November 2 and 9.

“He had the freshen up, but we have increased his workload now and a couple of trials have made him super fit,” he said.

“He's itching to go.”

The usual invasion of mainland sprinters arrive on Thursday night for the Hobart 1000 heats and Robin said the highlight of G1 Melbourne Cup winner Aussie Rocks is just that.

“Our bloke is not that well suited from the four box in his heat,” said Robin.

“And, there is the usual number of visitors in the heat as well.

“But he's right at his best and his run last year was fantastic to finish third.”

Melbourne Cup champ, Aussie Rocks, part-owned in Tassie, has also drawn the four box in his heat and comes up against the Jason Thompson-trained speedster Unleash Collinda, the classy Dundee Smokey and in form Crackerjack Bull.

Six heats of the time-honoured series will be run Thursday night.