Racing: Rogerson happy with progress of team

Waikato horseman Graeme Rogerson's trademark confidence takes a rare holiday when you ask him about climbing harness racing's Mt Everest this season.

The galloping great says winning this season's harness racing trainers' premiership may be too lofty a goal, even for him.

Rogerson and training partner Steven Reid lead the premiership heading into tonight's Cambridge meeting with 49 wins, but their advantage is just one over the Mark Purdon-Grant Payne stable.

Rogerson said that while his stable had big numbers, Purdon-Payne might have more good horses at this stage.

"We have a lot of horses with potential but they have some really big names," says the dual-code maestro. "I can see them having too many horses that can win quite a few races each and that might make them hard to keep up with.

"But I am very happy with where things are at and we have a lot of good young stock coming through, too."

The Purdon-Payne barn have a good shot at three wins tonight, while Rogerson believes he has big hopes in just as many.

The first is Sunlaw in race one, who is improving all the time and was foolproof on this track last start, although he does meet talented types in I Can Doosit and Springfield Hero.

"I think he could develop into an open-class trotter," said Rogerson.

Caroline's Cullen looks the mare to beat in race four after good runs in her last two starts.

"She got to the front and pulled up last start but she has a better draw this week and she has to be hard."

Jonny English heads the stable's three runners in the main handicap pace and it took a track record from Aslan to beat him here last week, with over 14 lengths back to the third horse.

He has had only one standing start though and that would be his main concern tonight.

The stable star Sno's Big Boy looks the horse to beat in the open-class trot after downing many of the best trotters racing in the country in the Flying Stakes here last Friday.

His connections have decided not to take him to the Interdominions in two weeks.

The small field he meets tonight somewhat negates his 10m handicap and he could win again, with Leighton Hest looking the biggest danger, courtesy of his front-line draw.