Local trainer Andrew Carston was both relieved and excited for the rest of the spring after Jon Ol Rocco returned to winning form in Saturday’s Martin Collins New Zealand Cup Trial (1800m) at Riccarton Park.

The Time Test gelding was one of the brightest prospects in the South Island around this time last year, winning three of his first six starts last season including a dead-heat for first in the Timaru Cup (1600m) in December.

Carston took a shot at big money in the North Island in January, taking on the inaugural $350,000 The Oaks Stud Remutaka Classic (2100m) at Trentham. Lumbered with a testing topweight of 61kg, Jon Ol Rocco finished 10^th but less than five lengths from the winner.

Jon Ol Rocco’s remaining starts last season brought a second in the Marlborough Cup (2000m), a third in an open 1400m handicap and a failure in unsuitable Heavy8 ground in the $350,000 TAB Southern Alps Challenge (1600m).

The five-year-old ran an encouraging sixth first-up over 1600m on August 31, setting him up for Saturday’s welcome return to the winners’ circle.

Jon Ol Rocco and jockey Kylie Williams took up a position in fourth on Saturday as the front-running Fellini set only a sedate pace. Williams got Jon Ol Rocco away from the fence coming down the side of the track, and by the point of the home turn, he was looming ominously on the outside of Fellini.

The leader still had plenty to offer and fought back bravely through a head-bobbing final 400m, but Jon Ol Rocco dug deep, gradually got the upper hand and won by a half-head.

“It’s good to have some nice horses coming back for the spring, and he’s right at the top of the list,” Carston said. “The horse on the inside fought well, but he’s a pretty handy horse and I’m relieved to have him back on track.

“I gave his first-up run a pass mark, but I really wanted to see a performance like this from him today. Very happy with that, and now we’ll go home and have a think about what we do next.”

Jon Ol Rocco was a $40,000 purchase from Jamieson Park’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2021. His 16-start career has produced five wins, five placings and $157,350.

Carston has nominated Jon Ol Rocco for the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings on October 12, as well as the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) on his home track in November.

“We’ve got options both up north and closer to home, so we’ll work out a plan over the next few days,” Carston said.

Williams has now recorded two wins and two placings from seven rides on Jon Ol Rocco.

“It didn’t go to plan early in the race, being on the rail and having the brakes go on,” she said. “But he was happy once I got him out and he started to roll forward. He pinned his ears back in the straight and wanted to get the win. He might have come to the end of it a little bit in the last 50m, so he’ll take good improvement from this as well.

“He’s definitely an exciting horse. Once he gets his manners sorted and races a bit kinder, he’ll go a long way.”