Raceday LIVE – Rockstar Icon
Nottingham,
Thu 12 Jun 2025 15:25
Related horse(s):
Rockstar Icon
He's back! Rockstar Icon makes his long awaited return to action this afternoon for the Paul & Oliver Cole team at Nottingham in the Class 4 Handicap (15:25) over 1m½f.
Read our Raceday LIVE Preview below and join us ahead of the race for all the build-up and live updates from the track across our social channels on X (@CRCofficial) and Instagram (@coralofficial).
Raceday LIVE Preview
We're very excited to see Rockstar Icon back in action for the Coral Racing Club this afternoon as he makes his first start since October last year.
After gaining his first win for the club back in December 2023, he was given five months off to grow and strengthen up ahead of his return for the start of his three-year-campaign. For his first run in 2024, he headed to Newmarket on 2000 Guineas Day to feature in a competitive handicap, where he put in a really promising performance when coming home in 5th place.
WATCH: Race replay from Rockstar Icon's 5th at Newmarket last year
Just a couple of weeks after that run, Rockstar Icon was scoped and the results didn't come back positive, and this was when trainers Paul & Oliver Cole discovered that he essentially had hay fever, which meant it made life very difficult not only on the racetrack, but also whilst training him at home.
As a result of that, Rockstar Icon only featured four more times in 2024, and ultimately struggled to replicate the level of his run at Newmarket in any of those four efforts.
Knowing how the breathing condition had impacted Rockstar Icon, trainer Oliver Cole was keen to give our son of Sixties Icon as much time as he needed since the turn of the year in order to ensure he made his return to action in the best possible shape. Over the past two months he's sent through numerous video clips from the gallops which has shown Rockstar Icon going through steady canters, building all the way up to full pieces of work, and the team are now happy with where he's at.
WATCH: Video raceday update from trainer Oliver Cole
As Oliver mentions, whatever happens today, there's no doubt Rockstar Icon will come on hugely for the run given it's his first competitive start in almost eight months, but we still head there with what is hopefully a decent chance of hitting the frame.
We're happy to have the services of one of the most experienced jockeys in the weighing room onboard Rockstar Icon this afternoon, as Luke Morris makes his debut in the Coral Racing Club silks. Luke hasn't ridden much for the Coles over the years, but his experience around the Nottingham track could play a big role in our chances this afternoon.
Rockstar Icon has eight rivals to face and will break from stall 4. The ground is currently Good, Good to Firm in places, and that should pose no issues.
Chris Dixon, Racing TV analyst, previews today's 15:25 at Nottingham and gives his verdict on the race
Paul & Oliver Cole’s horses are in excellent form at the moment with 3 winners and 6 places from their last 10 runners (5 of the placed horses beaten less than a length) and that looks a big positive for Rockstar Icon as he makes his first start of the season. He also returns to the track as a potentially well-handicapped horse having dropped 7lbs through the course of last season when he mostly struggled to find his form. The fact his best run of last season came in the early part of the season on his first run off a break, and his previous win was also following some time off, is encouraging for him showing his form here. If he does that then I expect he’ll be right in the mix as that Newmarket 5th last term was a good effort in relation to his current mark, while a nice draw in stall 4 at a track that should suit his prominent racing style are other positives. All things considered I think Rockstar Icon has a sound chance and looks a little overpriced at the early odds of 5/1.
Waiting For Love could be an improver on his handicap / turf debut and looks a threat, while A Major Payne is only a pound higher in the handicap than for his close second at Kempton 22 days ago and is respected, though has had a few goes off this kind of mark without winning. Mysteryofthesands ran well in a very competitive York handicap last time and was a winner at Beverly prior to that, so he comes into the race in top form. However, none of them look as potentially well-in as Rockstar Icon who has a very good chance if returning to his best.
Trainer and Jockey Statistics
Paul & Oliver Cole have been in red-hot in recent weeks and that's only added to their great success so far throughout the year. The Whatcombe duo's form from their last five runners is 21231, with the two victories taking their record for 2025 to 8 winners from just 29 runners (29%).
Luke Morris has been ever present in the saddle over the past couple of weeks as you'd expect, and the experienced jockey has been in the winners enclosure on seven occasions during that time. He has ridden 390 times at Nottingham so far in his career, so hopefully he can put that experience to good use this afternoon onboard Rockstar Icon.
Rockstar Icon's Owners for the Day
As winners of the recent Owner for the Day competition, 10 lucky Coral Racing Club members have been given the chance to enjoy an exclusive owners experience for Rockstar Icon's run at Nottingham this afternoon.
What's included in an Owner for the Day prize?
Read our Raceday LIVE Preview below and join us ahead of the race for all the build-up and live updates from the track across our social channels on X (@CRCofficial) and Instagram (@coralofficial).
Raceday LIVE Preview
We're very excited to see Rockstar Icon back in action for the Coral Racing Club this afternoon as he makes his first start since October last year.
After gaining his first win for the club back in December 2023, he was given five months off to grow and strengthen up ahead of his return for the start of his three-year-campaign. For his first run in 2024, he headed to Newmarket on 2000 Guineas Day to feature in a competitive handicap, where he put in a really promising performance when coming home in 5th place.
WATCH: Race replay from Rockstar Icon's 5th at Newmarket last year
Just a couple of weeks after that run, Rockstar Icon was scoped and the results didn't come back positive, and this was when trainers Paul & Oliver Cole discovered that he essentially had hay fever, which meant it made life very difficult not only on the racetrack, but also whilst training him at home.
As a result of that, Rockstar Icon only featured four more times in 2024, and ultimately struggled to replicate the level of his run at Newmarket in any of those four efforts.
Knowing how the breathing condition had impacted Rockstar Icon, trainer Oliver Cole was keen to give our son of Sixties Icon as much time as he needed since the turn of the year in order to ensure he made his return to action in the best possible shape. Over the past two months he's sent through numerous video clips from the gallops which has shown Rockstar Icon going through steady canters, building all the way up to full pieces of work, and the team are now happy with where he's at.
WATCH: Video raceday update from trainer Oliver Cole
As Oliver mentions, whatever happens today, there's no doubt Rockstar Icon will come on hugely for the run given it's his first competitive start in almost eight months, but we still head there with what is hopefully a decent chance of hitting the frame.
We're happy to have the services of one of the most experienced jockeys in the weighing room onboard Rockstar Icon this afternoon, as Luke Morris makes his debut in the Coral Racing Club silks. Luke hasn't ridden much for the Coles over the years, but his experience around the Nottingham track could play a big role in our chances this afternoon.
Rockstar Icon has eight rivals to face and will break from stall 4. The ground is currently Good, Good to Firm in places, and that should pose no issues.
Chris Dixon, Racing TV analyst, previews today's 15:25 at Nottingham and gives his verdict on the race
Paul & Oliver Cole’s horses are in excellent form at the moment with 3 winners and 6 places from their last 10 runners (5 of the placed horses beaten less than a length) and that looks a big positive for Rockstar Icon as he makes his first start of the season. He also returns to the track as a potentially well-handicapped horse having dropped 7lbs through the course of last season when he mostly struggled to find his form. The fact his best run of last season came in the early part of the season on his first run off a break, and his previous win was also following some time off, is encouraging for him showing his form here. If he does that then I expect he’ll be right in the mix as that Newmarket 5th last term was a good effort in relation to his current mark, while a nice draw in stall 4 at a track that should suit his prominent racing style are other positives. All things considered I think Rockstar Icon has a sound chance and looks a little overpriced at the early odds of 5/1.
Waiting For Love could be an improver on his handicap / turf debut and looks a threat, while A Major Payne is only a pound higher in the handicap than for his close second at Kempton 22 days ago and is respected, though has had a few goes off this kind of mark without winning. Mysteryofthesands ran well in a very competitive York handicap last time and was a winner at Beverly prior to that, so he comes into the race in top form. However, none of them look as potentially well-in as Rockstar Icon who has a very good chance if returning to his best.
Trainer and Jockey Statistics
Paul & Oliver Cole have been in red-hot in recent weeks and that's only added to their great success so far throughout the year. The Whatcombe duo's form from their last five runners is 21231, with the two victories taking their record for 2025 to 8 winners from just 29 runners (29%).
Luke Morris has been ever present in the saddle over the past couple of weeks as you'd expect, and the experienced jockey has been in the winners enclosure on seven occasions during that time. He has ridden 390 times at Nottingham so far in his career, so hopefully he can put that experience to good use this afternoon onboard Rockstar Icon.
Rockstar Icon's Owners for the Day
As winners of the recent Owner for the Day competition, 10 lucky Coral Racing Club members have been given the chance to enjoy an exclusive owners experience for Rockstar Icon's run at Nottingham this afternoon.
What's included in an Owner for the Day prize?
- Free racecourse entry
- Access to the Owners & Trainers enclosure
- Access to the Parade Ring before the race
- Meet Rockstar Icon and the Paul & Oliver Cole team
- Take home a 10% share of any prize money he wins
Prize Money
Today's Class 4 contest is worth £10,500 in total, with the winner set to scoop a £5,411 for their lucky owners.
2nd: £2,537 | 3rd: £1,269 | 4th: £634 | 5th: £317 | 6th: £158
Get paid as a WINNER in CASH up to a stake of £/€10 if your horse finishes 2nd by a neck or less behind the winner in today's 15:25 at Nottingham – click here to find out more.
NOTTINGHAM 15:25 – LATEST ODDS
We hope you enjoyed reading today's Raceday LIVE Preview. Don't forget to tune in just before 15:25 to watch Rockstar Icon's next run for the club live on the Coral Sports app.
Share
