Rest or race? The dilemma facing trainer Steve Tregea with Love Rocks after Baqaba letdown

THE saga of Baqaba is foremost in the mind of Steve Tregea as he plots the next move for Love Rocks.

Trainer Steve Tregea is fearful Love Rocks could face the same fate as Baqaba if rested prematurely.

THE saga of Baqaba is foremost in the mind of Steve Tregea as he plots the next move for exciting sprinter Love Rocks.

Originally, Tregea intended to spell Love Rocks, but the temptation of the $100,000 Listed Gold Coast Goldmarket on January 4 looms large.

Tregea had toyed with the idea of running Love Rocks in the Bernborough Handicap at the return-to-grass racing meeting at Toowoomba next Tuesday, but he has all but written that off as an option, believing the mile up the hill might be a bridge too far.

"It's nice to think of long-term targets, but I am also very aware of how many things can go wrong," Tregea said.

"Baqaba won a Goldmarket and a Rocky Newmarket, but then fractured his pelvis in a paddock and was out for a year.

"That's why I'm thinking it would be silly not to go on if the horse is telling me to when there's a nice race there waiting for you in a fortnight.

"If he gives me any sign, then I will just toss him out, but I don't think he's going to.

"He came home (on Saturday night) and ate up everything and he stepped out (yesterday) like he was free in his action."

The Stradbroke is the obvious long-term option, but Tregea said he will worry about mapping out a plan when Love Rocks comes back in for his next preparation.

It is amazing to think how far Love Rocks has come since August 24, when he took fright on the way to the barriers, did a couple of laps of the Sunshine Coast track and was a late scratching.

The alarm that sounds at trackwork when a horse gets loose still frightens the son of Stratum, but on race day he has become the ultimate professional.

"The beauty of it now is that he's learnt to relax," Tregea said.

"The penny has dropped with him and he knows when the serious bit is.

"Early in the piece was educational in many ways. Teaching him to settle, taking him away to Sydney and it's paid off in a bigger way than we could ever have imagined."

Tregea will still have runners at next Tuesday's historic meeting, but not in the feature races.

He was lavish in his praise of the new grass surface at Toowoomba and praised the committee for making the "miracle" happen.

Leading jockey Michael Cahill gave the track a tick of approval after riding in a trial last week.

He rides Fillydelphia in the Bernborough and Rex Lipp's talented filly Tinto in the $75,000 F&M Quality.

"I liked the track and it's going to be a boon for Toowoomba racing," Cahill said.

"It still needs to consolidate a bit further but it will be good to race on New Year's Eve."