Racing: Rollout The Carpet floors rivals

Horsewoman celebrates her return to training ranks with Matamata victory. Photo / Thinkstock

Horsewoman Emma-Lee Browne had reason to look back on a jerky start to her training career as Rollout The Carpet raced away with Saturday's $100,000 Swap Contractors Matamata Breeders Stakes.

Nearly a decade ago, Emma-Lee rushed through her trainers' licence to be in time to produce Derby-winning stayer Leica Guv into Sydney's Metropolitan Handicap.

It had to be rushed because she was pregnant at the time and knew she was soon going to have to stand down from her new chosen profession in partnership with her father, former topline professional equestrian Jeff McVean.

"It was a disaster, Leica Guv went shocking," she recalled amongst the aftermath thrill of preparing the Breeders Stakes winner.

Emma-Lee took several years away from training while rearing Lucy (5) and Chloe (4) with her husband, David, and returned to the training caper again only last season.

Today, she and her father prepare a team of 16 at Cambridge and Emma-Lee rides four a morning in work as much for fitness she says as for necessity.

She represented New Zealand in Australia as part of the Young Riders squad.

That she could sit on a horse and face the front came as no surprise - her father represented Australia in showjumping at three Olympics and mother Vicki also represented Australia.

Her sister Katie is world-ranked and after finishing sixth in the World Cup in Leipzig last year on Dunstan Delphi, sold the horse for an undisclosed sum, but believed to be well into the millions.

Rollout The Carpet surprised her trainers when she was beaten by stablemate Pouri Chimes at Trentham on January 23, but bounced back brilliantly with a win at Te Rapa that showed her to possess exceptional ability.

She missed out on a bid for the lead that day, sat parked outside the leader and instead of wilting as most fillies would have, she bounded away for an easy victory.

It was a fairly similar case on Saturday. This time, Pouri Chimes could finish only sixth. The difference was in the first four strides - Rollout The Carpet flew the gates to be right on the speed and Pouri Chimes was one of the last few away.

Pouri Chimes had to make ground around the field and her effort was very sound.

Well-supported visitor Liberating fought back well after leading, but was never a chance with the winner, and the favourite Silk Pins fought on for third.

John Sargent is in no hurry with Magic Shaft, winner of Saturday's other juvenile feature, the $45,000 Reid and Harrison Slipper.

Particularly now the Australian-bred youngster has got his first win on the scorecard.

Magic Shaft had been placed behind Warhorse, Hogwarts Express and been beaten a lip by Lumiere Blue in three previous starts to the races and there was not a more deserved winner on Saturday.

Even allowing that the favourite Travino did less than perhaps expected, this was a topline field to beat from an outside draw.

"He [Magic Shaft] was five wide down the back straight and Micky Coleman had to take him forward," said Sargent.

Magic Shaft drove clear and held out a determined late challenge from Irish Rebel.

"Micky said he'd love to draw a good gate with him and ride him to chase at them late rather than be in front."

Sargent said he feels Magic Shaft will be better suited to Manawatu than the group one Diamond Stakes coming up at Ellerslie.

"Look, he's a big horse and I feel he'll get around Manawatu better than he will Ellerslie."