Trainer Trevor Rogers registered the biggest win of his career when Roulette King took out the Alister Clark Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield.
Roulette King was Rogers’ eighth starter in a Stakes race with the three-year-old becoming the first galloper to fill a place for the trainer in a ‘Black Type’ race.
Now connections will need to consider whether Roulette King goes for a break after Saturday’s 2000m success at Group 2 level or is set for one of three remaining Derbies – the Australian Derby, the South Australian Derby or the Queensland Derby.
Ridden by Jamie Mott, Roulette King ($5.50) charged late to run down $81 outsider Savisanta to score by a head with Kaye Jay ($21) a further three-quarters-of-a-length away third.
“This was his Grand Final. This was the race we set him for,” Rogers said.
“We’ll get him home and see what happens, but he’s a horse for the future so we won’t go knocking him around.
“A Derby, they are things we will talk about with Jamie and the owners and how the horse pulls up, but I’ve got no doubt the horse will pull up well.
“He’s just one of those horses. He gets home and just wants to eat, which is a big plus.”
Rogers has seen Roulette King develop from the days of when he was a foal and was not concerned when Mott had the gelding back in the second half of the field.
“I was never worried because Jamie has had a lot to do with the horse,” Rogers said.
“When he went out, I said to ride him how you see fit, because you know what you’ve got.
“I could see him over the back that he had a handful of horse, and he was waiting for a bit of clear air down the running and with the turn of foot he’s got, he was always going to be a chance.”
