Rogerson And Wheeler Could Join Forces

Sunday, 17 July 2011 07:45

Graeme Rogerson is prepared to assist John Wheeler in campaigning a team of horses for the jumping season in England.

The two trainers provided the quinella in the Wellington Steeplechase at Trentham on Saturday with Rogerson victorious when Mr Align beat the Wheeler-trained Mali Juraj.

But while they were rivals on Saturday, Rogerson revealed he would be happy to share in Wheeler's long held ambition to participate in the English jumping scene.

Wheeler has said to make the trip worthwhile he would need a string of worthy candidates, rather than just one or two.

Rogerson said he had only discussed the situation with Wheeler last week and offered Mr Align as a possible candidate.

"He's one I have certainly got earmarked for England," Rogerson told NZPA.

"I think he would suit England, he can stay a bit. If Johnny ever goes I'll definitely have a horse with him. Whether it's next year or not I don't know. My mate (Wheeler) will let me know."

Rogerson and Wheeler would seem to be ideal partners. Both are usually well armed when the focus switches from flat to jumps racing in the winter, both are seasoned travellers of horses and neither holds back on a challenge - whether domestic or international.

An example of that for Rogerson transpired after the Wellington Steeplechase. Before the race he had been looking at the Great Northern Steeplechase (6400m) in Auckland on September 3 as the next main target for Mr Align.

Now he is considering adding in the Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) in Christchurch on August 13 as well as the traditional lead-up race, the Koral Steeplechase the week before.

"I'm having a re-think," Rogerson said, adding that his initial thoughts were that such an assignment might not be beyond the six-year-old.

"We'll make a decision later in the week but I think he's a pretty good horse. I don't think there are any around that are much better."

Mr Align has really stamped his mark as a top steeplechaser, winning four of his five races over fences this year.

Rogerson owns a half-share of Mr Align and races him in a syndicate that includes Sydney racing administrator Max Whitby who is the owner of the Rogerson-trained Queensland Oaks winner Scarlett Lady.

King Mufhasa Puts Sydney Trip On Line

Monday, 28 March 2011 06:15

A track gallop on Tuesday morning will determine whether New Zealander King Mufhasa makes the trip to Sydney for his third George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill.

The gelding has run third in the Group One George Ryder Stakes (1500m) for the past two years.

"I will make the decision after he works in the morning," trainer Stephen McKee said.

"As it stands I'm pretty happy with him so if I'm still happy after he works he will fly over tomorrow night."

Michael Rodd will ride King Mufhasa in the George Ryder replacing Samantha Spratt who has made the trip across the Tasman for the past two years.

McKee said he was also keeping an eye on the weather forecast hoping the rain in Sydney would be gone by the weekend.

"He is at his best on firmer tracks although he has performed well in the wet," McKee said.

King Mufhasa's wet track performances include both his George Ryder placings behind Vision And Power on a heavy track in 2009 and Danleigh on slow surface last year.

This campaign the six-year-old has won two Group One races at home, the Telegraph Handicap (1200m) and the Waikato Sprint (1400m) after which he ran fourth in the Futurity Stakes won by More Joyous.

"It's hard to line New Zealand form up against the Australians but he beat Wall Street in the Waikato Sprint," McKee said.

"That is the yardstick we are using."

Wall Street, who won the Group One Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in the spring, is also among the 19 entries for the George Ryder which also include the past two winners.

Chris Waller will have three runners, Danleigh, Rangirangdoo and emerging star Triple Elegance, winner of the Liverpool City Cup.

So impressed is Jim Cassidy by Triple Elegance, he has guaranteed he will be able to ride the four-year-old at 51kg in the Doncaster Mile on April 16.

Aloha, Melito, Palacio De Cristal and Set For Fame are all also nominated for the Queen Of The Turf (1500m) in which the Gai Waterhouse-trained More Joyous will start the dominant favourite.

More Joyous is also the overwhelming favourite to win the Doncaster at $2.30 with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Aloha at $8.

Both the Queen Of The Turf and the George Ryder Stakes results are likely to have an effect on markets for the Doncaster.

Randwick Guineas winner Ilovethiscity is at $11 for the Doncaster and the three-year-old takes on the older horses in the George Ryder.

Baker Looking Forward To Greener Pastures

Sunday, 10 July 2011 05:15

If ever trainer Bjorn Baker needed reassurance about his impending move to Sydney he only has to consider his win with Hurricane Mickey in Saturday's Te Awamutu Cup.

The Te Awamutu Cup was New Zealand's main race of the week and while Baker was delighted with Hurricane Mickey's success, the sobering factor was the prize money.

In a sad reflection on New Zealand racing the stake for the Cup, an open class handicap, was a paltry $NZ17,500 ($A13,587). As much as two decades ago the race was worth $25,000. Hurricane Mickey yesterday earned $10,938 while King Aussie, the winner 20 years ago, picked up $16,250.

The Te Awamutu Cup is just one example of how stakes across the board in New Zealand have slumped in the past few decades and provides the driving force behind Baker's move to Sydney.

Baker leaves on July 20 and is under no illusions the competition will be tough and it represents a major shift from the quiet of Cambridge in the Waikato.

"It's something I've always wanted to do," Baker told NZPA.

"It's going to be a challenge but at the end of the day you can't die wondering. New Zealand racing has been good to me. I'll miss Cambridge, it's a lovely place.

"In some ways I'm a bit nervous but this is what I wanted to have a crack at."

Baker is taking four low profile horses from New Zealand with him but hopes to build up to a team of about 10 by the time he settles in.

The 33-year-old has trained in partnership with his father Murray for three seasons.

They will revert to single training identities when the new season starts on August 1 but will continue to work together with the hope that promising New Zealand horses could be transferred to Sydney.

"It gives our owners somewhere else to race and particularly at this time of the year when they can race for good money in Sydney," Baker said.

The Bakers have had much success on both sides of the Tasman with this season a good example.

They won three Group One races with the first coming in Melbourne where Lion Tamer won the $A1.5 million Victoria Derby. The other two were in New Zealand with We Can Say It Now taking out both the Levin Classic and the Captain Cook Stakes.

Hurricane Mickey has developed into a top winter galloper. Saturday's win was his 10th from 31 starts but it is his record on heavy tracks that stands out. Sixteen starts on heavy tracks have produced eight wins and six minor placings.

The six-year-old gelding, by D'Cash, could next tackle the Group Three $100,000 Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton in Christchurch on August 6.

Midnight Oil To Burn In Australia

Sunday, 20 March 2011 07:15

A trip to Australia is on the agenda for New Zealand Oaks winner Midnight Oil but Queensland is likely to win out over Sydney.

Trainer Paul Duncan said the Queensland Oaks on June 4 was the more favourable option as the filly was not nominated for the AJC Australian Oaks on April 16.

A late entry fee of $15,000 payable four days before the rave would enable her to run if the owners, of which Duncan is one, were swayed to the Sydney Classic.

For now the syndicate will celebrate the Group One victory at Trentham on Saturday which came a week after they exercised a $40,000 right of purchase on the filly who had been racing under a lease agreement.

The right of purchase decision was made easier after Midnight Oil won the Group Three Lowland Stakes at Hastings on March 5 to confirm an Oaks bid.

Midnight Oil was ridden in the Oaks (2400m) by Rosie Myers and was awkwardly placed near the home turn with a wall of horses in front of her.

Myers let Midnight Oil drift to the inside in the straight and in a strong staying performance the filly went on to score by half a length over Zennista.

Midnight Oil's win provided her sire Keeper with his second successive New Zealand Oaks win following the success of Keep The Peace last year.

There is also an Oaks winner of the maternal side of Midnight Oil's family, her great grand dam being Our Tristalight, winner of an AJC Australian Oaks and a South Australian Oaks.

McDonald Equals Cropp's Record

Wednesday, 08 June 2011 07:45

New Zealand racing's whizz kid jockey James McDonald could set a New Zealand record for the number of winning rides in a season as early as Friday.

McDonald, 19, equalled Lisa Cropp's record of 197 winners in a season when Le Tourneau won a maiden race at Matamata on Wednesday.

Cropp, now riding in Melbourne, set her record in the 2004-05 season.

McDonald has seven rides at the Pukekohe meeting on Friday.

He is aiming to become the first jockey to ride 200 winners in a season and has until the end of July to do it.

He kicked home his first Australian Group One winner on Saturday, aboard the filly Scarlett Lady in the Queensland Oaks.

Bosson In Group One Double At Ellerslie

Saturday, 12 March 2011 08:15

Jockey Opie Bosson scored his second Group One win of the day at Ellerslie on Saturday with an outstanding ride on The Party Stand to capture the $NZ200,000 New Zealand Stakes.

Bosson rode Anabandana to take the Diamond Stakes (1200m) for two-year-olds and then two races later guided The Party Stand home first in the last Group One fixture at the three-day Auckland Cup carnival.

No-one wanted to lead in the 2000m weight-for-age feature so Bosson took The Party Stand to the front and strode along unchallenged.

The field closed up on the home turn but the Roger James-trained Thorn Park mare was game in the run home to win by a long neck.

Adaline, another four-year-old mare grabbed second ahead of Vosne Romanee, who won the race last year but has not scored since.

Bosson also won the Group One Auckland Cup on Titch on Wednesday.

NZ Racing Administrator Resigns

Sunday, 29 May 2011 09:15

The chief executive of the partnership that controls six of the main racing clubs in New Zealand's lower North Island has resigned after less than two years in the job.

Matt Reid told NZPA he would finish up on June 10 after 22 months as chief executive of Race, the partnership of the Wellington, Manawatu, Otaki-Maori and Rangitikei Racing Clubs and the Marton and Feilding Jockey Clubs.

"I have resigned to spend more time with the kids," Reid told NZPA amid reports of differences between him and the board.

Reid said debts for clubs under the Race umbrella had reduced from $12.5 million to $11.5 million during his short reign but he had plans to make much bigger reductions.

"I've started work on some big opportunities for the Race group to consider for retiring some significant debt," he said.

"But it will take some courage for the board to make that decision but I've certainly given them some options to really take Race out of the situation it is in."

Wellington Racing Club president John Fokerd said Reid's resignation had come as a surprise.

"It was a shock both to staff and when I rung around the board on Thursday night," Fokerd said adding that Reid had some issues with governance.

"Matt was trying to make it more commercial and bring in more business-type practices. Sometimes they are difficult to apply into a racing environment."

Prize money for racing in New Zealand has fallen after a three-year government injection came to an end following the recent Auckland Cup carnival.

Titch Wins Auckland Cup

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 06:45

Six-year-old stayer Titch scooted clear of the field in the run home to win the $NZ1 million Auckland Cup over 3200 metres at Ellerslie on Wednesday.

On a dead track he scored by 1-3/4 lengths from the favourite Showcause with Castle Heights a long neck away third.

Showcause beat Titch into second place in the New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton in November but could not peg him back this time.

"I couldn't have had a better run," winning jockey Opie Bosson said.

"He was cruising the whole race."

The Kevin Myers-trained Titch lobbed along midfield most of the way and joined in as the 17 runners streamed around the final bend.

He pulled out of the pack halfway down the straight and nothing could match his finishing run.

Showcause came from well back to loom into it at the turn but couldn't match Titch despite a 1.5kg pull in the weights.

Titch, a gelding by sprinting sire Lord Ballina, appears to have got his stamina from his dam Our Sophie, a Kaapstad mare.

His Group One victory on Wednesday took his record to 13 wins from 33 starts.

Picture: Colin Bull

Rogerson Planning Assault On Queensland

Sunday, 01 May 2011 08:30

Scarlett Lady will join trans-Tasman trainer Graeme Rogerson's team being aimed at winter riches in Queensland following her Group Two win in New Zealand on Saturday.

The filly's win in the Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa has her primed for an assault on the Queensland Oaks with Sydney-based Shootoff to attack the Queensland Derby.

Shootoff was an impressive winner of the Group Three Frank Packer Plate on a heavy track at Randwick on April 23 to set up his bid for the Classic.

Scarlett Lady will be one of about six horses Rogerson hopes to have in Brisbane with another of his leading hopes two-year-old Dowager Queen, winner of the Champagne Stakes (1600m) for two-year-olds in Auckland last month.

Rogerson would dearly like Dowager Queen or Scarlett Lady to win a Group One race in Brisbane as both are by Savabeel who has yet to be represented by a Group One winner.

In one of his greatest triumphs, Rogerson trained Savabeel to win the 2004 Cox Plate as a three-year-old and retained a share in the son of Zabeel when he took up stallions duties at Waikato Stud.

Scarlett Lady's win on Saturday was her fourth from seven starts.

She did not win at her first three races and was subsequently found to have a bone chip in a back leg.

"We took out the bone chip and she's gone unbeaten," Rogerson said.

"I think she's an ideal mile and a half Caulfield Cup horse in the spring."

Rogerson says he plans to expand his New Zealand training operation while cutting back on his breeding interests.

The trainer has put 130 horses from his Dormello Stud up for sale at a three-day auction beginning in Auckland on Monday.

"I'm probably going to get bigger in New Zealand. We'll target the better races just like we are doing with this filly (Scarlett Lady)," he said.

Shootoff became the first stakes winner produced by Dormello foundation sire Duelled, runner-up in the 2005 Victoria Derby.

In addition to his two thoroughbred stables in Sydney and Hamilton, 62-year-old Rogerson has a large harness racing operation but that is still a far cry from a decade ago.

"I trained in Sydney, Melbourne, Dubai and New Zealand all at the same time but that does take its toll after a time," he said.

"Now I'm enjoying living in New Zealand and going over to Sydney as required."

Rogerson said he felt some obligation to New Zealand racing where he has topped the trainers' premiership a record 11 times.

"New Zealand racing has served me well," he said.

"I've had plenty out of it and at the moment I think it needs some help."

Bradley To Take Initiative In Cup

Tuesday, 08 March 2011 04:15

Jockey Darryl Bradley says he won't be afraid to ride aggressively on Auckland Cup second favourite Showcause on Wednesday if the pace slackens off.

Showcause was rated a $4.80 chance by TAB bookies on Tuesday for the $NZ1 million Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie on the strength of wins in the New Zealand, City of Auckland and Avondale Cups this season.

Bradley's fearless but astute riding has been a big part of the success story.

In his latter two victories he has foregone standard tactics and sent Showcause, a strong stayer without a sharp sprint, on a long, looping run out wide, hitting the front near the turn and outstaying his opponents.

"If you get held up on the horse it's going to make it very hard to get out and pick the leaders up," he said.

"The way I've had him, just rolling along as far as 800 metres, 1000 metres out, by the time we get to the point of the turn he's full of running, in clear air and attacking the line, and so far he hasn't been run down."

With barrier 15, a draw which should ensure he doesn't get caught on the fence, the stage is set for a similar type of run.

Bradley said he wasn't likely to take off as far from the post over 3200m tomorrow as he did in the 2400m Avondale Cup, but he was prepared to be aggressive.

"So far all of them have been run at a reasonable pace anyway. Something ends up bowling along, I can't see it being a real stop-start event, but you don't know and if it does then I'll just have to ride accordingly," he said.

"I'm not afraid to take the initiative and do something. I'm not afraid to ride against the pattern. If it's a good pace I know to bide my time. If it doesn't suit, I go forward."

Bradley, the champion jockey in 1998-99, has won several Group One races but said an Auckland Cup victory would be his career highlight.

He said he hoped fine weather continued to dry the track at Ellerslie as the horse would struggle on wet footing.

Showcause is trained at Cambridge by Frank Ritchie, whose family dominates the top of the market after the enforced scratching through injury for the second consecutive year of pre-post favourite Passchendaele.

The favourite at $4.50 on Tuesday was Roi d'Jeu, trained by Ritchie's son Shaune.

Roi d'Jeu was a close fourth to Showcause in the New Zealand Cup and has won his last two starts well.

Another of Ritchie's sons, Craig, has a chance with Solid Billing who won the Nathans Memorial on Saturday and is proven at 3200 metres, having won the Queensland Cup in Brisbane last winter.