Deserved luck at last for Lindsay

Ballarat hobby trainer Lindsay Rogers is thoroughly enjoying a change of luck in harness racing after a wretched series of accidents and misfortune.

"It has been pretty tough going for quite a while. But Jack (aka trotter Little Yankee) has been doing his bit to lift our spirits," Rogers said.

Rogers, who trains at Snake Valley, 25kms south-west of Ballarat, got onto a winning roll less than a month ago when "Jack", one of two horses he presently trains, scored narrowly at his home track.

Handled by regular reinsman James "Herbie" Herbertson, Little Yankee (Yankee Spider-Admirals Image (Admiral Holliday) won by a half-head at Ballarat on November 19.

The four-year-old has since posted victories at Maryborough, Bendigo and, most recently a career highlight for Rogers with a win at "headquarters", Tabcorp Park Melton, in the $10,000 Reward Hospitality Trot.

Little Yankee now has a career record of six wins and seven placings from 20 starts for over $34,000.

For the video replay of Little Yankee winning at Tabcorp Park Melton click on this link

It's been a welcome change of fortune for Rogers who recently spent four days in hospital with injuries sustained in a fall from a riding horse at home.

"I was just about to swing my leg over the saddle-I trusted it too much and it started bucking and upended me," he said.

"Fortunately, I was wearing a helmet and vest, but my landing didn't do me any favors. I got bruising to the brain and copped a torn cartilage in my knee.

"But the upside was that it did show me that Little Yankee does appreciate not getting too much work because he had a few days off and a few light days and he's really stepped up since."

Rogers also had multiple surgeries and still struggles with injuries from 10 years spent driving trucks on interstate runs. It prompted victorious reinsman James Herbertson to observe at the Melton trophy presentation, that while Rogers was doing a great job, "he wasn't real sound"!

"I suppose I'm getting around pretty good for what I am," Rogers said.

"But if I didn't have my wife Di helping out with everything, and my daughter Nikki as stablehand as well as James doing the driving, and other help, it wouldn't be happening."

If "Jack's" dream run continues, it will certainly go a long way towards the Rogers family putting 2020 behind them.

"We're going to Shepparton on the 23rd for the VicBred Super Series heats and that's to qualify for the Group One final on New Year's Eve," he said.

"I think we'll all have earnt a holiday afterwards if we make it to the big final. And if Jack could do something there it would definitely be my best year ever!"

Rogers was born in Birchip and later shifted to Ballarat.

"I got my first horse, named Tarleton Lad, from my uncle Hayden Hogan who is well known in the Birchip area. Admirals Image, the dam of Little Yankee, was given to me by the Simpson family," Rogers said.

"She was a nice little chestnut, but she got sick as a youngster and never raced. She was a fair age when I got her in foal. I took her to Yankee Spider on the recommendation of (local horseman) Greg Burns, who's a friend of mine, because he told me the horse had been siring some good ones.

"Little Yankee was a handful when he was young, although he did go very well. I was trying to get him to the Redwood Day at the end of his 3yo days, but my back started playing up and I had to turn him out.

"We won with him at his fourth start in September last year. A few starts later and a few placings, he was turned out for over six months."

The square gaiter has returned in terrific form this campaign with five wins and five placings.

Rogers said last Saturday night was the first time he'd ever raced at Melton.

"It was great just to be there. But to get another win and having dad's old colors going around again was very special," he said.

"A lot of people have noticed and commented that I'm using dad's colors, which is nice. When we raced at Bendigo earlier this month, I actually took a rug with us that was won by a horse dad and I raced in Callamar Kid in 1995. It was too hot to put it on Jack at the meeting, but he had it on the way home!"

The late Ray Rogers, who passed away about 25 years ago, was regarded as a fine conditioner of standardbreds and formed a formidable partnership with Lindsay's younger brother Bryan, a former talented reinsman.

"I've been trying to get Bryan back into driving, but he's still got a few injury worries from a racefall he had a long time ago. He's off doing other things, but still follows the horses a bit," Lindsay said.

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura