Katie Lee's Guineas win classy and courageous

Katie Lee became the first horse to win the Christchurch's guineas double when she triumphed in the $300,000 One Thousand Guineas at Riccarton today -- but it took all her class and courage to get there.

The Pins filly, owned by Sir Patrick Hogan, had to overcome a bumping duel early in the run home in the $1 million Two Thousand Guineas last Saturday, but today the traffic problems were different.

She often skied her head about because of a slow pace and appeared to cop a check at the 1200m mark that shuffled her back in the field.

Jockey Opie Bosson managed to find her clear running once the field flattened out in the straight and she charged as she did a week ago, but Keep The Peace kept kicking on her inside.

In the end there was a neck between the two -- with Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie having to put up with second prize again after his gelding Military Move was runnerup to Katie Lee last week. He did however win the group three New Zealand Cup with My Scotsgrey this afternoon.

Since Canterbury was allocated the guineas races in 1973, no filly has won both races. But Katie Lee rewrote the record book today.

"She is a game filly, very tough," said Hogan.

Bosson said it was a difficult ride.

"The pace was slow, and everything kept coming back in her lap so she got her head up," he told NZPA.

"But all credit to her the way she picked herself up and came home.

"When I first came out, I thought 'yes, I've got it' and then the second horse kicked again and I wasn't sure, but she really put her ears back and attacked the line."

He said Katie Lee was right up with the best fillies he has ridden. That includes Grand Archway who won him a VRC Oaks when he was an apprentice in 1998.

"Not many can do what she did out there today, none do that can they?"

While he had a torrid time on her today, Bosson said she normally relaxed and he was sure she would make a good stayer.

Hogan scotched any thought of taking her to Australia as a three-year-old, though the $2.2 million New Zealand Derby in March is a possibility.

"My wish is that she does not leave New Zealand this racing season," he told NZPA.

"Possibly when she is a four-year-old she might have a crack at Australia, but I would not be tempted to go to the AJC Oaks or Queensland Oaks.

"I would love to win the NZ Bloodstock Filly of the Year series, and if she could win that without having to run in the New Zealand Oaks (which is the last leg in the series) and Opie believed that after she had run at 2000m that she could run the mile and a half I see no reason not to have a go at the derby, at $2.2m, when it is the same distance. But she would have to sew up the series -- otherwise she would have to run in the oaks."

Hogan quickly added that he was not the boss -- and the decisions lay with the trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson.

"Rogie will probably have her in England by then," he quipped.

It ended a great week for the Rogerson husband and wife training partnership, with their second group one win since becoming an official partnership at the start of the season in August. They were married last year.

"It's fantastic," said Debbie, who has been a major part of the Rogerson stable for many years.

Keep The Peace, in only her fourth start, was terrific, while Our Ella Belle was a game third, 3/4 of a length away, with Gofonze fourth and St Germaine fifth.

- NZPA