‘‘I remember she said to me at one point, ‘this is the best horse you’ll ever have’ and I said, ‘let’s see about that’,’’ Sandblom, a Kiama businessman, said.

‘‘That was before he raced. He’s probably not there yet, but he’s on track to be.’’

Sandblom has already dabbled in harness racing while juggling his publishing business commitments and ownership of Hollymount Stud near Kiama.

But Rolling Pin, which shares the same birthday as his part-owner, threatens to be Sandblom’s biggest success in racing thoroughbreds.

It’s quite a statement considering Salade, now stabled with Markwell, won the Pago Pago Stakes on debut for Sandblom before finishing eighth in the Golden Slipper at his next start.

Bought for just $60,000 at a New Zealand yearling sale, Rolling Pin tomorrow will seek to become the second Kembla galloper behind Alma’s Fury to record three straight wins against city opposition.

Despite feasting on summer class rivals, Sandblom warned the slow-maturing four-year-old would be capable of earning black type in mid-2012.

‘‘I think he’s definitely going to be competitive in Group races,’’ Sandblom said.

‘‘He needs to keep on improving and Gwenda thinks maybe the spring of next season is where we might see the best of him.

‘‘I don’t think you really know until you put them in those sorts of races and find their ideal distance.

‘‘It’s going to have to be at least 1600 metres if not 2000 metres to be competitive in the better races.’’

The on-pace type has already been earmarked for a Queensland carnival foray, with the Group2 Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast a potential campaign-starter.

But first Rolling Pin will be forced to lug 60kg in tomorrow’s Benchmark 85 Handicap (1800m), likely to be a preparation-ending assignment.

‘‘Gwenda and Hugh Bowman certainly think he’ll get 2000 metres so I suppose that step in distance, it will be interesting to see how he handles it on Saturday,’’ Sandblom said.

‘‘He seems to be handling those longer distances and it will give him a chance to win something better.

‘‘But he’s got to measure up to the carnival quality horses as well because he’s been beating summer horses at the moment.’’