KEY POINTS:
Under-rated 3-year-old He's No Pie Eater proved his Chipping Norton Stakes victory was no fluke when he backed it up with a remarkable win in Saturday's group-one Rosehill Guineas.
In a rare feat by trainer Graeme Rogerson, the colt won the 2000m race at just his second run from a spell, having claimed the scalps of Desert War and Mentality in the Chipping Norton this month.
However, the transtasman trainer deflected praise to his foreman Roger Elliott, who he said carried much of the training load because he was often required to return home to New Zealand, where he also has a stable.
"Roger Elliott deserves all the credit, I'm often off to New Zealand and he's done a great job," Rogerson said.
Hugh Bowman's only other ride on He's No Pie Eater was in the Gloaming Stakes last spring when the colt finished fourth to All Black Gold.
But when Zac Purton elected to stick with the Bart Cummings-trained Fianchetto (seventh), Bowman picked up the Guineas mount on He's No Pie Eater and said Saturday's race panned out perfectly.
"The race tempo was quite even and when it did slacken I was behind the leader and I was able to track up bit by bit," Bowman said. "When I said go he just put paid to them."
Bowman is keen to stick with He's No Pie Eater in the AJC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick in two weeks but a decision on who rides him will be left to owner David Reid.
Whether the colt also runs against the older horses in next week's The BMW (2400m) is yet to be determined, but Rogerson said it was doubtful. "I think the Derby is his race," Rogerson said.
He's No Pie Eater scored by a half-length from Ambitious General with Fiumicino a long neck back third.
Favourite Teranaba tired to finish second last.
- AAP
