KEY POINTS:
Graeme Rogerson yesterday denied news media reports he would no longer train for Melbourne millionaire Lloyd Williams.
Rogerson and Williams combined on Tuesday to win the A$5 million ($6 million) Melbourne Cup with Efficient but the win has since only raised what role Rogerson plays in the training operation.
Rogerson also operates stables in Sydney and New Zealand and at the beginning of this season he started a harness racing stable in New Zealand.
The Daily Telegraph in Sydney yesterday reported Rogerson and Williams had split. Rogerson said there was a similar report on Australian television.
But it's not correct, he said.
"It's totally wrong. I haven't split with Lloyd," Rogerson said.
"I've been with him [Williams] for 42 years, do you think I would split just like that?"
Rogerson said the newspaper article carried a lot of assumption and nothing would be decided until he met Williams following racing in Melbourne next Saturday. But he admitted he had been thinking of what the future held for him.
"What I am doing, is considering my future," he said. "I'm 60 now. I am on a downhill run."
Rogerson described his role in the Melbourne stable as "full on".
"In carnival time, I'm there all the time."
He did not need to be attendance all the time to be the trainer.
"To run a big company, you don't have to sit at the desk 12 hours a day."
Rogerson said Racing Victoria chief stipendiary steward Des Gleeson had been satisfied when previously questioned about his role in the Melbourne stable.
"We did front him [Gleeson] four years ago," Rogerson said.
"He said our situation with Lloyd was quite acceptable.
"I think the Williams' training team is as good as any I've seen operate in the world. He just runs a great organisation."
Rogerson wondered if Australian thoroughbred racing officials were not happy about his new harness racing stable in Hamilton, where he has 30 horses.
"I think, in my opinion, they are taking a dim view of my involvement in harness racing.
"My argument is, why can't I?"
Rogerson believed the operation of his Melbourne stable would not be questioned if it wasn't so successful.
"If we weren't winning races, there would be no problem at all."
- NZPA
