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By BETSY BRANSCOME
Rappahannock News Staff Writer
Though he was blanked in the opening week of the spring steeplechase season, last year’s leading point-to-point rider, Bay Cockburn, made up for lost time at the March 4 Rappahannock Hunt races, kicking in the late daily double for two winners from three rides, taking both co-featured timber races at Saturday’s event.
In his first race appearance in 18 months, owner-trainer Joseph M. Rogers’ Chilean-bred gelding Blue Rocket made his running renaissance at the Thomton Hill Farm to win the Elzy Brown Memorial open timber contest.
“He jumped really well today,” Mr. Cockburn said of the gray son of leading ‘chase sire Iram.
“He did get tired,” he added as he recounted the 2 1/2 mile trip. “It was his first start in some time.” Though the 11-year-old made a hash of the third to last jump, taking top rails as he chipped in to the fearsome downhill fence, Blue Rocket otherwise leapt efficiently and opened up eight lengths on Rusty’s Wise Guy, Dyson Dryden up. Blue Rocket had broken his timber maiden at this venue in ’91, and, though he tired, seemed again to relish the rolling course.
“This is the same exact path of races I took with each of my Virginia Gold Cup winners in the past,” Mr. Rogers said of the Rappahannock start. “All four times, I started them here in the Brown race at Rappahannock, then went in three weeks to the Rokeby Bowl at Piedmont, then three weeks later to the Eustis Cup, then three weeks later to the Gold Cup.”
“Blue Rocket is by the same sire as [1991 race winner] Roses and Drums,” noted Mr. Rogers’ wife and assistant Donna.
In the absence of Iram’s bestloved son, Topeador, a four-time winner on the Thomton Hill course, the Seven Comers series has seen a great
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