“Hopper” hones buggy skills for later on

Fiercely competitive northern Victorian pacer Murranji Track might just have a surprise or two left in him yet.
Mildura trainer Colin Rogers expects his old mate “Hopper” will reach retirement age during the next year or two, but he’s already got post-racing career plans well underway for the winner of 30 races.

“I’ve been thinking about trying him in a buggy for a couple of years, and a few months back I bought an Abbott’s Buggy, or what they call a ‘Doctor’s Buggy’. The weather’s been terrible, but last Sunday it was a nice day, so we decided to give him a try,” Rogers said.

“I had a friend from Broken Hill, Craig Preston, come down to check out the buggy and give me a hand. Craig’s done carriage driving in shows since he finished up with harness racing.

“Craig was a bit worried when we put the breeching strap across the horse’s backside that he mightn’t like it, but he was honestly like an old hand. He was never a worry, just like an old carriage horse who’d done it all his life.”

Rogers admits Murranji Track’s relaxed demeanour would come as a surprise to anyone who’s witnessed the gritty pacer’s renowned race-day “white line fever”.

“He can be a bit of an old maniac, and everyone knows that, with kicking and carrying on. But that’s just his way at the races. At home he’s lazy and docile,” Rogers said.

“I can’t hook the car on the float until we’re ready to go to the trots, because as soon as he sees that happen, it’s on!

“To work at home, though, he’s exactly the opposite. And he was the same with the buggy, just very relaxed. I’ve spent plenty of time in the sulky over the years, but it was my first time driving in a buggy as well, so we did okay!”

Murranji Track (Grinfromeartoear – Jennas Beach Girl (Jennas Beach Boy) has been a legend of the northern Victorian circuit, specifically Mildura. He is still sixth on the national list of most successful horses at a single track – with 27 Mildura wins amassed over a career spanning six years so far.

Bendigo-trained Bernie Winkle has now comfortably surpassed Murranji Track on the Mildura record, but Rogers believes there’s still a win or two in “Hopper” yet.

“He’s back at the races now (after a spell) and he’s still loving his racing as much as ever. He’s about $16,000 off winning a quarter of a million, so I’d love to see him reach that milestone, and I think he still could. He won four last season, and if he has a bit of luck, he could win another couple.

“When you have a good horse it’s hard to retire them. He’s as sound as a bell, but if he tells me he’s had enough, then that’ll be it.

“Hopefully then, if he likes the buggy work, I might be able to take him to parade at feature race meetings like the cups and so on – I’d go anywhere, anyone who asks me!

“So once we’ve done some work at home I’ll see if I can take him to the trials and let him have a look around on the track after the trials, then go from there. Hopefully he will be able to tell the difference between race day and parade day though!”

Murranji track was bred by Rogers, who also bred his mother Jennas Beach Girl from his super former race mare, Surstromming.

From only 49 starts in the late 1990s, Surstromming won 18 races, including the APG 3YO fillies final, Bathurst Gold Tiara Final and the ElDorado at Moonee Valley and just short of $150,000 in stakes. She won on every metropolitan track on the eastern seaboard and provided Rogers with some of his greatest thrills as both a trainer and driver.

As well as Jennas Beach Girl (a winner of 10 races), Surstromming left Mackalan (16 wins), Dakota Rebel (11 wins) and Pacific Victory (11 wins).

Rogers currently has two horses in work, including an unnamed two-year-old Sunshine Beach half-sister to Murranji Track.

“I keep saying I’m winding down too, but I do have the two-year-old, and Jennas Beach Girl is in foal now (Auckland Reactor) so I guess I’ll be around for a while yet.

“Harness racing gets in your blood, and there’s no vaccine for that!” Rogers laughed.

Murranji Track will line up for start number 141 in the fast-class event at tonight’s Mildura meeting. See fields here.

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink