Veteran Vinery sire Casino Prince is one of the great quiet achievers and he featured at Caulfield on Saturday when progressive three year-old Roulette King captured the Group II MRC Alister Clark Stakes (2000m).
Trained by Trevor Rogers, Roulette King had won his three previous starts in a row following a debut fourth at Geelong last September.
Stepping up successful in class and distance for each win, he took a quantum leap this time taking on Group company over a staying trip and emerged triumphant.
Ridden by Jamie Mott, who has been aboard in all of his wins, Roulette King was tenacious to the line to snatch a head victory and has now won four of five starts earning over $400,000 in prizemoney.
“It's amazing. I've been with him since he was a foal. And watching him develop and watching him come here and do that today, it's been a long journey, but a great one,” said Rogers, who has just three horses in work.
"I was never worried because Jamie has had a lot to do with the horse and when he went out I said to ride him how you see fit, because you know what you've got. I could see him over the back he had a handful of horse and he was waiting for a bit of clear air down the running and the turn of foot he's got, he was always going to be a chance.
"This was his Grand Final. This was the race we set him for. We'll get him home and see what happens, but he's a horse for the future so we won't go knocking him around."
Jamie Mott was full of praise for Roulette King.
"I'm rapt to Trev Rogers and his team and the connections, they've got one out of the box. He could nearly be unbeaten, to be honest,” he said.
"I've loved the way Trev's handled him. This is his hardest test to date and he's passed with flying colours.
"He's the perfect package, really. He's a pleasure to do anything with, for starters. He begins well, he travels well, and, most importantly, he quickens when you ask and he can sustain a good gallop.
"I'm not sure where his ceiling is, but he's a very exciting horse."
Bred by Richard Anderson’s Quilly Park, Roulette King was retained to race and is the first SW among five winners from good producer Balmodena, who is also the grand-dam of this season’s juvenile stakes-winner Alibaba.
Quilly Park offered the yearling filly by De Gaulle from Balmodena at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale this week in the Bombora Downs draft and she passed in shy of her $60,000 reserve.
Balmodena was covered last spring by Yulong first season sire First Settler.
Roulette King is the 25th stakes-winner for Casino Prince, who will turn 23 this year.
