Racing: The one that got away

Graeme Rogerson has a chuckle to himself when it comes to discussing New Zealand Derby favourite Cheval De Troy.

The well-bred son of stallion sensation Zabeel was sold for $400,000 to Takanini racing and breeding identity Peter Walker at the Karaka yearling sales.

Walker formed the Cheval De Troy Syndicate to race the striking athletic colt.

The under-bidder to Walker was Rogerson who went to $390,000 chasing the yearling colt.

"My client Lloyd Williams liked the colt and so did I and I wanted to keep chasing him but we pulled out of the bidding war at $390,000.

"He was a stunning individual and had a very athletic walk and I wish Peter Walker and the Cheval De Troy Syndicate all the best with him in the New Zealand Derby.

"He's the horse we all have to beat because he has the form on the board having won his last two starts.

"I was impressed with the way he won the Bonecrusher Stakes but punters should be warned that there's no such thing as certainty in racing.

"All these three-year-olds still have to manage running out the 2400 metre distance of the Derby and my two runners - Cedar Manor and Cheshire - will do that.

"Cedar Manor has already won a Group Two race in Melbourne this season and he had no luck in the Avondale Guineas a couple of weeks ago.

"He's training very well here in Hamilton and I give him a great each-way chance in the Derby because he'll be competitive on any type of footing.

"Cheshire is the only Group One winner in the field because he was carried around the Trentham track by his mother Smiling Like when I trained her to win a Wellington Cup.

"Smiling Like won the Wellington Cup when she was in foal to the stallion Cape Cross and carrying Cheshire.

"He's a tough three-year-old who likes to rough it up with other horses in a real dog fight at the end of a race.

"He's won two races this season at 2000 and 2100 metres and could be the surprise runner in the Derby."

Rogerson did confirm that he may not race stable star and outstanding three-year-old Savabeel again at the distance of 2400 metres.

The son of Zabeel was beaten in the Victoria Derby at Flemington last month after effortlessly winning the Cox Plate a week earlier at Moonee Valley.

"I don't like comparing three-year-olds but Savabeel is a horse that is in a class of his own.

He won the Cox Plate as a three-year-old and the Cox Plate is the greatest weight-for-age race in Australasia.

"Only champion three-year-olds win a Cox Plate and I think I'll be keeping this horse to 2000 metre races in his next campaign."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY