Ambitious plan for Ferrando

IT’S no secret the regard that Graeme Rogerson has for Ferrando and he was again singing the three-year-old’s praises at Trentham.

‘‘I’m aiming him at the big sprint race at The Championships in Australia – I think he’s a super horse,’’ said the Tuhikaramea-based trainer, who prepares the gelding with his wife Debbie.

The Darley T. J. Smith Stakes, a 1200 metre event that features Black Caviar, Takeover Target and Chatauqua on its honours board, will be run at Randwick on April 1.

Ferrando has a distance to go to warrant any comparisons with that trio but he is making impressive progress and yesterday’s success in the Zephyr Consulting Premier was his third from just five appearances.

Hong Kong interests were also keen on the son of Fast ‘N’ Famous earlier in his career before Rogerson fended off the offers by putting together a syndicate to buy the horse and keep him in his stable.

‘‘We paid a lot of money for him but I think he’s a Group One horse,’’ he said.

Ferrando settled in second spot and after hitting the front 300 metres from home he was hotly challenged before he drew clear under stable apprentice Ryan Elliot.

‘‘They are both going places, the horse and young Ryan – that was a great ride,’’ Rogerson said.

Lisa Latta is confident that her diminutive fouryear-old Princess Belle can follow her older sister’s lead and make her mark in black type company.

The Awapuni trainer produced the well-related mare to complete a Trentham double when she backed up admirably yesterday to add the Lincoln Farms Premier to her record.

‘‘She’s a horse that does very well and she came through the first day without a problem,’’ Latta said. ‘‘Her full-sister Irish Fling won the Telegraph so she’s got the pedigree to go on with it and we’ll look around for some better races for her now.’’