Tauranga trainer Antony Fuller is hoping history repeats itself on Saturday when he takes Roger That (NZ) (Shinko King) north to Ellerslie to contest the Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m).
The now 11-year-old gelding caused an upset in the race in 2020 when taking out the then Group One feature at odds of 40-1.
He readied for the race with a runner-up performance in the Listed Kaimai Stakes (2000m), and for the first time in four years, Fuller elected to follow that lead-in path to the Cup this year as opposed to the traditional Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m) route.
Roger That finished fifth behind Saint Alice (So You Think) in last month’s Kaimai Stakes at Matamata, giving Fuller confidence to press on for his sixth attempt at the time-honoured race.
“His run in the Kaimai was very pleasing,” Fuller said. “He probably went a bit keener than we would have liked early. He certainty didn’t give in and battled on well, which is what you need for a stayer.
“He has come through it well, he has been working really well, we are very pleased with him. It seems like he is peaking at the right time.”
“He only has 52kg on his back (on Saturday), so you never know.”
Fuller will also be represented in the Auckland Cup by Khan Hunter (NZ) (Mongolian Khan), a massive achievement for the Bay of Plenty horseman who only has four horses in work
Khan Hunter has been in fine form this season, finishing runner-up behind Trust In You (NZ) (Sweynesse) in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabth II Cup (2400m) at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day and ran fourth in the Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie last month.
Fuller has been pleased with Khan Hunter this season, but admits it has been a long campaign and his charge is on weary legs heading into the Cup.
“He has been up a long time,” he said. “We freshened him up after the QEII. He had a run at Matamata, which we were a bit ho-hum about, and then he went a lot better in the Avondale Cup, so we have pressed on with him.
“The QEII and Avondale Cup were always his aim. We put him in the Auckland Cup just in case he happened to keep going. He has been up a while, but he is in it, so we are going to have a go.
“Fingers-crossed one of them makes the day worthwhile. We are thinking Roger is the one more one target for it, so we will see what happens.”
While Khan Hunter will be going out for a break after his weekend assignment, Fuller said they will likely press on with Roger That, with the Gr.3 Rotorua Cup (2200m) in May a potential target.
“Khan Hunter will definitely have a freshen-up,” he said. “I would say Roger will kick on with it because he still has a lot of spring in his step. If he keeps going well, we will look at the Rotorua Cup again, he seems to go well on that course.”
