Roger That impressive in two year old feature

Bruce Stewart Journalist

Trainers Cran and Chrissie Dalgety look to have another quality two year old in Roger That (Sweet Lou) after the gelding won the Murray Gray Memorial at Winton today.

“He got out the gate nice and there was no need to go too silly. We rolled along with pretty even fractions. The beauty about him in front is that he relaxes. When he won his first start coming off a helmet he was really sharp, but having another string to his bow like leading is good as well,” winning driver Carter Dalgety said.

The winning time was 1-55.0 with the last quarter cut out in 27.3 with Patriot a head back in second.

“He’s a thoroughbred type, tall and leggy. And he’s got a beautiful clean gait which is perfect for a two year old.”

The race honoured the late Murray Gray who trained 145 winners between 1974 and 2012. His first winner was Sunflake at Winton in March 1974.

His biggest winner was Giovanetto which won eighteen including the 1991 Welcome Stakes, 1992 Southern Supremacy Stakes, 1992 Superstars Championship, 1992 Hannon Memorial and 1992 NZ FFA. He ran second in the NZ Sires’ Stakes Final, the Ashburton Flying Stakes, New Zealand Trotting Cup and the Kaikoura and Invercargill Cups.

Murray also trained Cairns Legacy to win the G3 1995 Sweetheart Stakes, driven by his son Brett.

In his winning tally Gray trained twenty six ‘Jacckas’ to win for Charlie and Ailsa Smaill.