Rockinwithattitude ready for Grand Final test

By Jordan Gerrans

The Sunshine State has proved to be a happy hunting ground for David Miles across Rockinwithattitude’s stellar career and the team goes in search of their biggest scalp yet on Saturday evening at Albion Park.

The star trotter is regarded as the Victorian horseman’s pride and joy as she has delivered the stable and her owners an incredible journey over the last few years.

The 53-year-old Miles is in his third campaign to Queensland with Rockinwithattitude after securing The Great Square back in 2024, while also tasting Group glory the season prior.

Rockinwithattitude is in the midst of her first tilt at Inter Dominion racing and will contest Saturday’s Grand Final.

Local hopeful Gus will be a red-hot favourite in the trotters division of the 2026 ID decider, but Miles is hopeful his mare can cause a boilover.

As Miles trained and drove Rockinwithattitude’s mother, Rockin Shiraz, she was always going to be a special horse to him on a personal level. 

“She's just so relaxed. She has massive high speed,” Miles said.

“She's probably the fastest trotter, especially with gate speed in Australia.

“Because of that, she can always put herself into a good spot and get herself out of trouble.”

Rockinwithattitude booked her place in the Grand Final largely on the back of her opening heat performance.

The mare was initially called the winner by ace broadcaster Chris Barsby before the judge declared a dead heat with Gotfeelingsyouknow.

On the following Saturday evening, Rockinwithattitude ran into eighth from a second-row draw, which was enough to advance to the decider.

Rockinwithattitude has won an array of elite-level races across her 50 career starts, but The Great Square back in 2024 was a highlight for the stable.

She contested the Group 1 race as a three-year-old and finished fourth behind London To A Brick.

Despite the result on the big stage, she hung around for the remainder of the carnival and was rewarded, claiming the Group 3 Queensland Trotters Oaks and Derby in the following weeks.

Rockinwithattitude was back 12 months later and walked away with almost $90,000 in stakes money after defeating London To A Brick, who started the 2024 The Great Square as the pre-race favourite.

“It was a great trip, she was super that night,” Miles said of the performance in July of 2024.

“We run fourth the year before as a three-year-old filly and I was only too happy to bring her back up.

“It was an awesome night to share that with the owners and some really good friends. We bred her and we raced her mother, so we've had her through her whole life.

“Right from the time she was a two-year-old, she's raced at the top level.

“She's won Group 1 races at two-year-old, three-year-old, four-year-old and now as a six-year-old. She's been a credit to her. The owners love her and we do too.”

Miles and Rockinwithattitude have utilised Shawn and Michelle Grimsey’s training property at Tamborine during their northern campaign.

The Victorian horseman also has Starzzz Destiny and Victree Vic with him for the winter months in Queensland. 

Starzzz Destiny and Victree Vic both faced the starter at Albion Park on Tuesday. 

Starzzz Destiny is likely to remain with the Grimsey stable once Miles heads home following the carnival.

In her third stint in Queensland, Miles says Rockinwithattitude thrives on the ‘away trips’.

“She travels fantastic,” he said.

“She's made several trips to Sydney and this is her third trip to Queensland. So, she loves a trip. She handles it really well.

“So, we had no qualms in bringing her up again. And, obviously the Inter Dominion is the pinnacle of our sport, so it was always on our radar. She seems to travel fantastic.

“We've got no problems with her travelling. She just settles into these beautiful surroundings here at Tamborine. It was like she'd just returned home.”

Now racing as a six-year-old, it is Rockinwithattitude’s maiden bid for the prestigious ID crown.

She likely would have contested the series this time last year, if she was fit.

She was off the scene for the entirety of 2025 through injury, but her trainer and driver believes she has come back bigger and stronger following the break.

“She's been super this year since she came back after 12 months off where she had a little fracture in her knee,” Miles said.

“She has performed absolutely super. She's actually got a bit better following the break.

“She's returned from injury even stronger. It thickened her up. The 12 months off actually looks like it's done her the world of good, which is great.

“There's no sign of that injury at all. We actually think she's improved with the time off.”

Rockinwithattitude was handed six on the front row at Monday's barrier draw and she is on the second line of betting as of Tuesday afternoon.