The famous Graeme Rogerson colours shone for the first time in Singapore after odds-on favourite Unconquered made all in the $60,000 Class 4 race over 1000m on Monday.
It was also fitting the New Zealand trainer’s first winner is prepared by a fellow Kiwi in Laurie Laxon, with the two also sharing something else in common – they both trained a Melbourne Cup winner; Empire Rose for Laxon in 1988 and Efficient for Rogerson (when he was based in Australia) in 2007.
It is highly unlikely Unconquered, a four-year-old by I Am Invincible, who came with a record of two wins over 1000m in New Zealand when trained by Rogerson and wife Debbie, would ever reach such lofty heights, let alone win beyond 1000m.
Winning hoop Vlad Duric for one was dubious he could after he just hung in there by half-a-length from Hoshiko (Chan Wei Sheng) with Leadership (Wong Chin Chuen) third another gap of 2 ½ lengths away. The winning time was 58.99 seconds for the 1000m on the Polytrack.
Unconquered races in the red and blue stable silks made famous by Polar Success in the 2003 Golden Slipper when ridden by now Kranji-based jockey Danny Beasley.
Assistant-trainer Shane Ellis said a change of headgear was the key behind that first Laxon-Rogerson success.
“He’s a 1000m horse. He laid out badly from the backstraight at his debut, and we decided to put a one-eyed right-sided set of blinkers and a pricker today and he went straight as a die,” said Ellis.
“It’s the first horse Graeme Rogerson has sent to Laurie. I am sure they will both be rapt with that.”
Duric was at the first Leg of a riding treble, as he later went on to score on Holy Grail and Chopin’s Fantaisie. Now sitting on 46 winners, he has increased his lead to now sit 12 winners clear of Alan Munro.
“He’s a limited horse here. He won’t go beyond 1000m,” said the leading rider.
“That is as far as he will get, but he did a great job to win second-up today.”
The Laxon yard also had more cause to celebrate later when $80 shot Allez (Barend Vorster) scored an easy win in the $35,000 Class 5 race over 1600m four races later.
