Heavy Caulfield going set to suit McArdle's El Rocko

McArdle, who has 30 horses in work, saddles up stable favourite El Rocko and the lightly raced two-year-old Kalimna Views on the nine-race program.

The multiple Group One-winning trainer told ACM Racing the track rating at Caulfield would play a major part in how his two runners perform on Saturday.

"I've been watching the weather forecasts for a few days and I'll be doing the same until race time on Saturday," McArdle said.

"The early indications are we might have a heavy track and that'll really suit El Rocko. He loves heavy tracks while I'm not really sure how Kalimna Views will go on that sort of ground. I would probably say Kalimna Views might be more at home on a good to soft track but we'll have a clearer idea after she runs on Saturday."

El Rocko, a $250,000 purchase at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sales has won two of his last three starts and is racing in great heart, the quietly spoken trainer said.

"I've been really happy with El Rocko's last few runs," McArdle said.

"The track at Ballarat got into the heavy range last time and he really thrived in that type of going and before that he was a shade unlucky in running third at Sandown and before that outing he won at Sandown. He's in work at the right time of the year over the winter months. I was just hoping we would get a lot of heavy tracks over the winter but that hasn't eventuated this year.

"El Rocko showed a lot of promise as a young horse. He ran second behind the smart Artorius at his first start. We had a huge opinion of him as a youngster. The wrap was that big we ran him in the 2021 VRC Derby but he failed to fire.

"I would say in hindsight we should have gelded a long time before we did. He's just been a slow maturing horse. He's taken a lot of time to put it altogether but he's doing that now. El Rocko is a pleasure to have around the stable. He's a no-fuss type of horse who is just a pleasure to have around the stable."

El Rocko, who is an $8 chance in the early betting markets for the 1400m race with Bet365, will be ridden by talented jockey Jamie Mott.

Kalimna Views, who will also be ridden by Mott, won at her racecourse debut at Pakenham in February before being sent for a spell and McArdle predicts a bright future for the filly.

"We've got a healthy opinion about Kalimna Views," he said.

"I thought her debut win back in February was full of merit. We gave her a good break after her February win. She just needed a bit of time to build up. She's come back into work in great order. I can't fault her condition or fitness. My biggest concern on Saturday is barrier 13. It's a tricky barrier.

"There's a nice run from the 1100m start. We were very impressed with her trackwork at Mornington on Tuesday morning. She worked over 800m and came home strong over the last 400m. It was good work with Jamie on-board. He was happy with her work and fitness leading into Saturday. She's a speedy filly who with a bit of time should get out to 1400m or 1600m."

Bet365 have installed Kalimna Views as the $6 favourite in a very open race.

McArdle was looking forward to the upcoming Melbourne spring carnival with plenty of confidence.

"We have some really nice young horses in the stable," he said.

""It's probably the best crop of young horses we've had in a few years. I'm really keen about a few of the unraced horses. They haven't put a foot wrong in their early work. We're really lucky to have Jamie Mott there with us. He puts in a power of work riding trackwork and helping out with the horses. Jamie is a great judge. He's an underrated jockey in some circles but he's not underrated by any one at our stables."

Saturday's feature race at Caulfield is the $200,000 Group Three John Monash Stakes. Champion trainer Ciaron Maher has three of the eight runners in the 1100m speed test. Recommendation, trained by the master mentor, is the $2.80 favourite with Bet365.