Racing: Beauden gears up for Oz campaign

Beauden is "going enormous", says trainer Graeme Rogerson. Photo / Race Images

Beauden is "going enormous", says trainer Graeme Rogerson. Photo / Race Images

Class Waikato galloper Beauden is being set some lofty Melbourne targets this spring.

The multiple stakes winner appeared in public for the first time this preparation for an exhibition gallop between races at Te Rapa last Saturday, a gallop which left his trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson very satisfied.

"He galloped well within himself but he ran home a little bit quicker than they ran the open mile in," Graeme Rogerson said.

"He's going enormous. We'll let him get ready, and hopefully we end up in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. We just hope the coronavirus problems lift so we can go to Aussie with him."

The rising 7-year-old has raced consistently for Team Rogerson at elite level in recent seasons but he hasn't been asked to tackle trips beyond 2000m too often.

However, Rogerson believes the gelding should at least get the 2400m of the Caulfield Cup, run on October 16, and he was hopeful about the 3200m of the Melbourne Cup.

"You never know if they are going to get two miles until you try, but I think he's a horse that's maturing with age. He looks outstanding at the moment," said Rogerson, who prepared the 2007 Melbourne Cup winner Efficient.

"But he's only had two runs at 2200m, and he won them both."

Both those victories came in the two most recent runnings of the Listed Marton Cup at Awapuni, races he won decisively both times.

Rogerson said Beauden could trial at Ellerslie next Tuesday and then begin his campaign with an open 1600m race at Te Rapa on August 14.

All going well, he will then head to his favourite track, Awapuni — where he's had 10 races for eight victories and one second — to contest an open 2100m handicap.

"There's a lot of water that's got to pass under the bridge, but he will be nominated for the cups," he said.

Beauden is likely to be joined in Australia by stablemates Mascarpone and rising 3-year-old Te Poropiti.

Mascarpone, who this season won the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa in November and finished third in the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m), will be set for three Group 1 sprints in Melbourne — the Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on September 24, the Manikato Stakes (1200m) at the same track on October 22, and the VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 6.

"Mascarpone seems to be maturing. He's better left-handed, and he's a good track horse," Rogerson said. "Where he kicks off will depend on the weather."

Te Poropiti, whose best run in five juvenile races this season was a fast-finishing second over 1300m at Ruakaka in April, will be aimed at the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) on October 30.

"He's a staying horse and he looks as though he's a 2500m horse now, the way he races," Rogerson said.

Team Rogerson is 11th on the natural trainers' premiership with 33 victories with less than a week left in the season, and Rogerson said he was looking forward to 2021-22 with a promising collection of young horses.

- NZ Racing Desk