Racing: Katie Lee ready for double

Debbie Rogerson had an 18-year flashback yesterday when discussing the $300,000 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas chances of the $2 favourite Katie Lee.

You might not have seen the name Debbie Rogerson, or Debbie Price before marriage, in a racebook before August 1, but she has a long history of managing top-class racehorses.

Skating was the one she picked out of those that husband Graeme Rogerson won group one races with in Australia. "This filly [Katie Lee] has a phenomenal turn of foot and she reminds me so much of Skating."

Which should fire more fear into the hearts of tomorrow's opposition.

Skating won the Doncaster and Coolmore Classic for the Rogerson stable in Sydney.

"She could lead or trail doing half pace then let down. Boy when she sprinted she left them behind. She was something."

The remarkable sprint Katie Lee turned on to get herself away from trouble and into the winner's stall in last week's $1 million New Zealand 2000 Guineas reminded Debbie Rogerson so much of her previous stable star.

To complete a massive double tomorrow, Katie Lee has to do something she has not previously tried - racing on a seven-day back-up.

Last season she held her form on two 14-day back-ups and she was on a 12-day span when she went into last week's race.

Debbie Rogerson says there are no visible signs that Katie Lee has been affected by her stunning victory last week. "She's not a filly that needs a lot of work.

"It's just been a case of keeping her ticking over. She's a perfect gem to do anything with, although like a lot of good fillies she does have her ways.

"She's got a good draw and she looks well placed."

The TAB think so - it has not budged off its opening $2 quote on the filly. Rogerson says she feels St Germaine would be the hardest to be beat if she recaptured her Hawkes Bay Guineas form.

"And no one knows how Keep The Peace will go on a good surface.

"We're just happy with our filly."

Keep The Peace was second favourite on the TAB's final field book at $6.50 ahead of St Germaine at $7. Our Ella Belle was $12 and the rest of the field was paying more than $20.

SECOND TIME LUCKY FOR CAMBRIDGE TRAINER?

If Keep The Peace finishes second in tomorrow's $300,000 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas at Riccarton trainer Shaune Ritchie hopes it's not to the favourite, Katie Lee.

"If she chases the favourite home it'll mean Katie Lee has cost us both Guineas races," said the Cambridge horseman yesterday.

Military Move had last Saturday's $1 million New Zealand Guineas won for almost all of the home straight until Katie Lee produced her remarkable late finish to sweep by.

In one way Ritchie is grateful to the highly talented Katie Lee.

He has the favourite My Scotsgrey in the New Zealand Cup and until Katie Lee produced her stunning winning form, Keep The Peace was the 1000 Guineas favourite.

"If you go into two races like these with the favourite in each you're setting yourself up for a fall."

Keep The Peace has had only three raceday starts with her two winning performances coming on heavy tracks.

"Being honest, I don't know how she'll handle the firm track this time. I guess we're going to find out at the same time as everyone else."

If Katie Lee can replicate her performance of last Saturday she will walk away with this race.

One glimmer of hope, says Ritchie, is that he rates Keep The Peace superior to Military Move.

"Look, if they ran the 2000 Guineas 100 times Katie Lee would beat Military Move every time. He'd never beat her and she'd have been a tragedy beaten if she'd missed last week.

"But you never know what a race like that can take out of a horse and you don't know until you try.

"This filly is very good and if she can handle the firm track as well as she manages the wet, who knows?"