Newman ready to fire in Great Southern debut

Scottish jockey Lee Newman will make his Great Southern debut today, taking five rides on the competitive seven-race program at Mt Barker Turf Club, including three mounts for current local trainers’ premiership leader Roy Rogers.

Rogers sits at the top of the premiership standings with 12 wins this season and has placed faith in former UK champion apprentice Newman aboard Kinjara, Ellens Choice and Chasin’ Ruby this afternoon.

Ellens Choice looks ideally placed in the Stirling Bulk Distributors Handicap (1100m) after running fifth, beaten by three lengths behind talented filly Glimmer Girl.

In six starts for Rogers, Ellens Choice has one win and a third placing to her name, and will jump from barrier seven with 55.5kg on her back in the field of nine.

Rogers also had strong hopes for Money Trainer in the Cartehil Accountants Handicap (1100m) with Albany apprentice Casey Hunter engaged.

Money Trainer has placed at two of his last three starts and Hunter will have to overcome gate 10 as the five-year-old chases a second career win.

“(Lee) has a good record back in England and I was keen to give him a go,” Rogers said. “Stephen Sheehy was looking for a new rider so he chased him up and got him down.

“Money Trainer and Ellens Choice should be right there, they are probably my best two, and Kronstadt has Casey Hunter back on.”

Rogers will also start new sta-ble acquisition Chasin’ Ruby, who has come from the Vaughn Sigley yard, while Kronstadt will go head-to-head with Ellens Choice in race 3.

Chillie Storm lines up against stablemate Money Trainer in race 4, and Rogers had a dual attack on the Likely Lads Handicap (2000m) with Kinjara and Starry Universe.

Rogers (12 wins) is locked in a tight battle in the trainers’ premiership, with Steve Wolfe (11) and Mark Bairstow (10), who are both represented today.

The first race today is at 1.42pm.