Isdale joins forces with Rogersons
There was a new training partnership in racebooks at Cambridge’s synthetic meeting on Wednesday, with Clinton Isdale recently teaming up with husband-and-wife duo Graeme and Debbie Rogerson.
Following a couple of placings early on the card, the trio got their partnership off to a winning start when Skymax blitz her rivals in the Jumps Racing @ Te Rapa 24 May (2000m) to win by eight lengths.
“It was good to kick it off and get the monkey off the back straight away,” Isdale said. “It was quite frustrating until Skymax won, we had a few placings.”
While their training partnership is new, their association isn’t, with Isdale having known the couple for several years, and Graeme as far back as his childhood.
“I have known Graeme since I was a kid, my Uncle Michael was in Polar Success (Gr.1 Golden Slipper winner) and Savabeel (Gr.1 Cox Plate winner and NZ Champion Sire),” Isdale said.
Moving to New Zealand several years ago, Isdale renewed his friendship with Rogerson, and he was rapt when he was asked recently by the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame trainer to join him and Debbie in partnership.
Isdale jumped at the opportunity and said while he is still working hard, the partnership is allowing him to dedicate more time to his young family.
“I was working 100 hours a week and I have got a two-year-old son and it was taking away spending time with him,” Isdale said.
“These training partnerships are quite big in Australia, and it just gives you time to train horses and takes a lot of pressure off you with three of you doing it as opposed to doing it all by yourself.
“Graeme asked me at the right time and he has been a massive help to my young family. He has done nothing but be very welcoming. We have had plenty of dinners and I have heard plenty of stories.
“I don’t think you will see another trainer in this day and age train a Melbourne Cup, Golden Slipper and Cox Plate winner.”
Isdale has also been impressed by the facilities at the Rogersons’ property, which is on the outskirts of Hamilton.
“The facilities are exceptional,” he said. “You never see a puddle on the sand track, it doesn’t matter how much rain you get, the sand he has got is amazing. He has got water walkers and treadmills.
“The horses are cared for so well it’s not funny. Debbie treats the horses in her care like they are in the Novotel.”
While Isdale and his family have been made to feel at home, he said so has his staff who have joined him in Tuhikaramea.
“All of my staff have come out,” he said. “Alexandra Reed, who won the amateur race the other day, she is an assistant trainer, and my ground staff have come out and my fiancé, Nikkita, rides work before my son goes to school.
“Everyone works in well together.”
Graeme Rogerson, who was contemplating scaling back his operation as he is getting older, is pleased to have Isdale onboard to help sustain the stable.
“He is a good bloke, and he can work, he is a worker,” Rogerson said. “I have had horses with him and we have been friends for a long time.
“I was either going to cut right back or take someone into partnership. I am getting older, so it is a good opportunity.”
Rogerson said he has plenty of young horses coming through his stable, and buoyed by Isdale’s entry into the partnership, he is looking to grow that in forthcoming sales.
“I am going to cut back on the breeding, but I broke in 45 yearlings and I have still got 40 weanlings, I am not short of a horse,” Rogerson said. “But I will definitely be a big buyer at the yearling sales now that Clint is here.”
One of the young horses Rogerson is excited about is Skymax’s two-year-old full-sister On The Fly, who trialled last month at Cambridge and will head to the Te Awamutu trials next Tuesday.
“I think I have got a very good filly called On The Fly,” Rogerson said. “A lot of the people that were in Skymax are in her, and I am breaking in a yearling full-sister and I have got a colt foal.”
Pleased with Skymax’s win on Wednesday, Rogerson said she will continue to compete on the polytrack over winter, and he believes the daughter of Ferrando is only now starting to hit her straps.
“Skymax had a really tough three-year-old season, she ran in all of those Group races, she was just off the very best and ran fourth in the Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m),” Rogerson said.
“I think the Ferrandos are better with a bit of time, yet he was a fast horse, and she wants to stay, and she hasn’t had a lot of runs over ground.
“I think Debbie is going to target her for the $75,000 final on the synthetic, and she will run back there in a fortnight.
“She wants a trip and I think she is a handicapper in the making, she seems a lot stronger.”
The partnership are hoping to continue their winning momentum into the weekend where they will line-up a handful of horses at three meetings.
On Saturday, they will head to Ellerslie with one runner in Melkor, who will contest the Cambridge Stud 2100, while they will head to New Plymouth with two runners, including Domain Ace in the Platinum Homes Apprentice Day Friday 12th June (1400m) and Novak in The Rock 1800.
“Melkor was very good last start, he got taken on for the majority of the race and got headed halfway up the straight, but he kicked back and was hitting the line again and only got beaten by a length,” Isdale said. “If he can dictate and get things his way, he will be very competitive.
“Domain Ace drops back to (rating) 65. He has got to carry a big weight (60kg), but he will be exceptionally hard to beat.
“Novak raced last week at Otaki and he had the best sectionals of the race, beaten two-and-a-half lengths. Kelly Myers goes onboard, it is a small field, and he will be going close to winning, as long as the track comes back to a (Soft)5.”
Closer to home at Te Rapa on Sunday, the stable will be represented by two runners, including Impressive Belle in the NZB Airfreight 1300 and Zee Heights in the Foy And Halse Lawyers 2200.
“Zee Heights is a pretty talented jumper, but he is just going around for fitness,” Isdale said.
“Impressive Belle is coming back from a wind op, she is two years off the scene, but her form prior to that was very consistent. She will improve on whatever she does, but she has had two nice trials and she will be in the placings with a bit of luck.”
