10-year-old marvel Tranquilla Sunrise sprinting towards Horse of the Year

Ten-year-old marvel Tranquilla Sunrise will chase his sixth victory of the Great Southern season when he tackles a small field of rivals in Albany tomorrow.

It would be difficult to find a 10-year-old racing in better form anywhere in Australia than Tranquilla Sunrise, who has won five races and been placed at metropolitan level in a brilliant final campaign.

Trained in Albany by Roy Rogers, the veteran galloper was unwanted in betting on January 19, the day he franked his form and went on to win four straight races at Percy Spencer Racecourse.

Having won more than $200,000 in prizemoney, Tranquilla Sunrise will back up from a strong third placing to Laverrod last start at Ascot when he tackles the Wallrodt Family Racing Handicap (1100m) tomorrow.

“It’s great for the stable, great for racing and great for the public to have a 10-year-old still going strong,” Rogers said.

“It opens people’s eyes up on how well he look after our animals.

“He just loves the environment, I think Albany is the best place to train horses because of the cool climate.”

Tranquilla Sunrise has thrived in the Great Southern winning nine out his 14 career races in three seasons here with Rogers.

“He has good wet form so that’s helps down here, he has won 6 of 11 on a soft track so he loves it down here,” he said.

“He’s a big athletic horse that has always had ability.

“I just try to keep him sound, training in the soft sand is a key.”

The Hurricane Sky gelding will have to lump 63.5kg as top weight in his attempt to win a sixth race of the campaign and will reunite with regular apprentice Beaux Banovic-Edwards from the outside alley.

Tranquilla Sunrise has all but wrapped up the Great Southern Horse of the Year award, which Rogers has won three out of the last four seasons.

“Potent Secret won seven races in a season so if Tranquilla can win six as an old guy that would just be phenomenal,” Rogers said.

“I don’t think the weight will be too much of a concern over the short course, if he’s rated properly they have to catch him.”

Rogers confirmed that Tranquilla Sunrise will run tomorrow and then head back to Ascot for another providing 72+ ratings race in a fortnight.