Rogerson Chasing Group One Success With Karaka Purchase

Graeme Rogerson has tasted plenty of elite-level success in Australia with thoroughbreds and now the dual code horseman is chasing Group One success in the harness code this weekend when Lovemeto (NZ) (What The Hill) contests the A$500,000 Inter Dominion Trotters Championship Final (3157m) at Albion Park.

Bred by Breckon Farms, Lovemeto is by What The Hill and out of two-win Love You mare Love Ya Doosie, a half-sister to multiple Group One winner I Can Doosit and Group Two performer Sno’s Big Boy.

Lovemeto was offered through Breckon Farms’ 2021 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale draft at Karaka where he caught the eye of Rogerson, who secured the colt with a final bid of $45,000.

Australian-based couple Merv and Meg Butterworth purchased into Lovemeto and the trio initially raced him out of Rogerson’s Tuhikaramea barn, and he won five and placed in three of his 15 starts for Rogerson and then training partner Dylan Ferguson, including the Group One Northern Trotting Derby (2700m) and NZB Standardbred Harness Million 3YO Trotters Final (2200m).

He was subsequently entrusted to the care of Victorian trainer Chris Svanosio, and he has added a further six wins to his record, including last Saturday’s Listed Id26 Trot Rd2 Heat (2138m) at Albion Park.

Driver Kerryn Manning was positive off the mobile arm and sent Lovemeto forward to sit parked outside leader Mufasa Metro, and he eventually found the lead with a lap to go. Manning pushed the go button with 400m to go and Lovemeto answered, quickly putting a decent margin on his rivals and he clung on to score by four metres over Mufasa Metro.

Rogerson is now looking forward to racing for the Inter Dominion crown this coming Saturday.

“It’s a huge credit to Chris with the patience and persistence he’s shown to get the horse back like this,” Rogerson said. “It would be a huge thrill if we could repeat it in the final.”

Lovemeto has now won 11 of his 33 starts and more than A$241,000 in prizemoney.