Katie Lee Triumphs In Another Guineas
- Saturday, 14 November 2009 07:30
Katie Lee became the first horse to win the Group One Guineas double at the Riccarton meeting when she triumphed in the One Thousand Guineas on Saturday.
The Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained filly beat the colts and geldings in the Two Thousand Guineas a week ago after overcoming an early bumping duel but this time the traffic problems were different.
She often threw her head about because of a slow pace and appeared to cop a check at the 1200m mark that shuffled her back in the field.
Opie Bosson managed to find her clear running once the field flattened out in the straight and she charged as she did a week ago, but Keep The Peace kept kicking on her inside.
In the end there was a neck between the two - with trainer Shaune Ritchie having to put up with second prize again after his gelding Military Move was runner-up to Katie Lee last week.
"She is a game filly, very tough," owner Sir Patrick Hogan said.
Bosson said it was a difficult ride.
"The pace was slow, and everything kept coming back in her lap so she got her head up," he told NZPA.
"But all credit to her the way she picked herself up and came home.
"When I first came out, I thought `yes, I've got it' and then the second horse kicked again and I wasn't sure, but she really put her ears back and attacked the line."
He said Katie Lee was right up with the best fillies he had ridden including Grand Archway who won him a VRC Oaks when he was an apprentice in 1998.
"Not many can do what she did out there today, none do that can they?"
While he had a torrid time on her today, Bosson said she normally relaxed and he was sure she would make a good stayer.
Hogan scotched any thought of taking her to Australia as a three-year-old, though the $2.2 million New Zealand Derby in March is a possibility.
"My wish is that she does not leave New Zealand this racing season," he told NZPA.
"Possibly when she is a four-year-old she might have a crack at Australia, but I would not be tempted to go to the AJC Oaks or Queensland Oaks.
"I would love to win the NZ Bloodstock Filly of the Year series, and if she could win that without having to run in the New Zealand Oaks (which is the last leg in the series) and Opie believed that after she had run at 2000 metres that she could run the mile and a half I see no reason not to have a go at the Derby, at $2.2 million, when it is the same distance.
"But she would have to sew up the series - otherwise she would have to run in the Oaks."
Hogan quickly added that he was not the boss - and the decisions lay with the trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson.
"Rogie will probably have her in England by then," he said.
NZPA WGT
