Racing: Australian feats highlight season

Graeme Rogerson has experienced one of the best seasons of his long training career.

Rogerson has sewn up his 11th New Zealand trainers' premiership, in partnership with Stephen Autridge, but it has been his deeds in Australia that have had him right at the forefront of the industry.

In Australia his horses have chalked up stake earnings of more than A$11 million ($12.34 million) with 144 wins nationwide, including 67 on metropolitan tracks.

Rogerson recorded five group one victories in Australia.

They were the Cox Plate and Spring Champion Stakes with Savabeel, the Caulfield Guineas with Econsul, Doomben Cup with Perlin and Champagne Stakes with Carry On Cutie. He also won the Magic Millions Classic with Bradbury's Luck.

Keeninsky's Telegraph Handicap win at Trentham has been the stable's sole group one win in New Zealand this season but with 83 wins, they are well clear in the premiership race with two days of the racing season remaining.

It has also been a huge year for Rogerson as an owner.

He has had a share in the winners of 89 races in Australia, including four of his group ones, as well as 53 wins in New Zealand.

Rogerson, who first started training in 1970, landed his first New Zealand premiership in the 1979-80 season. Two of his premiership wins came in partnership with Keith Hawtin, while he has now won twice in association with Stephen Autridge.

The New Zealand stable has been a little short on quality performers, with just two stakes' wins this term, but Autridge believes they have a strong team for the new season.

Cedar Manor and Pin Up Boy are leading spring hopes, with the prospect of Econsul being sent to New Zealand to tackle the $1 million Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) on October 1.

The Kelt is also the major aim for Cedar Manor, who kicks off a fresh campaign in the open 1400 at Te Rapa today.

Cedar Manor, who ran in three derbies this season, remains in all three weight-for-age races at Hastings, though the Kelt will be his major mission.

Said Autridge of Cedar Manor's prospects at Te Rapa: "He is pretty forward and they will know he is there."

Pin Up Boy, who won fresh-up at Ruakaka this month after returning from Australia, will contest the $40,000 Foxbridge Plate (1400m) at Te Rapa on August 13 before heading to the Mudgway and Stoney Bridge Stakes at Hastings.

Rogerson said plans to send Econsul to New Zealand for the Kelt would be dictated by his lead-up form. He resumes in Sydney next Saturday and will then tackle the A$200,000 Warwick Farm Stakes (1400m) on August 20 and the A$175,000 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) on September 3.

Rogerson is planning a big attack on the Melbourne spring carnival, with possibly four runners in the Cox Plate - Perlin, Activation, Econsul and Carry On Cutie.

New Zealand premiership winner Lisa Cropp has already been approached to ride Carry On Cutie in the Cox as the filly will have just 46kg.

Meanwhile, Keeninsky is due to return to work in about three weeks. He was found to be suffering from a leg injury at the end of his last campaign and will be given a long, slow build-up.

He is unlikely to race again until the Telegraph Handicap (1200m) at Trentham next January.

The numbers
11 New Zealand training premierships for Graeme Rogerson
144 training wins in Australia, including
67 on metropolitan tracks
5 group one victories
89 wins as an owner in Australia $12.34m in Australian stakes

- NZPA