Rogan Josh (horse)

Background information

Rogan Josh was purchased for $13,000 by owner Wendy Green, after he didn't reach his reserve price at the yearling sales and began his racing career in Western Australia. His first start was at Bunbury as a four-year-old, and after winning 4 of his first 5 starts he headed to Ascot where his final run for the campaign resulted in a fourth placing.

As a five-year-old, and now trained by Colin Webster, Rogan Josh worked through his classes in Perth recording another four wins before heading to the 1998 Pinjarra Cup. Over 2200 metres Rogan Josh passed the post a nose in front to win the Listed Pinjarra Cup and two weeks later recorded a neck win in the Group 3 Bunbury Cup.

Set for the Perth Carnival he was second in the Group 2 C B Cox Stakes at 2400 metres weight-for-age before finishing second to King of Saxony in the Group 2 Perth Cup at 3200 metres. Colin Webster had a strong belief that Rogan Josh was good enough to run in the Melbourne Cup because of his ability to run 3200 metres. After a brief three start autumn campaign which included a second in the 1999 Bunbury Cup (the race he won the year before), Rogan Josh was then transferred to Bart Cummings and a tilt at the 1999 Melbourne Cup. Cummings liked the fact that Rogan Josh was lightly raced even though he was now a seven-year-old.

When Melbourne Cup markets were first released in August 1999 he was a 250/1 chance. His first start for Bart was in the Aurie's Star Handicap - a 1200-metre sprint down the Flemington straight in which he finished 7th. His next start was the Feehan Stakes where he finished 10th, and a fortnight later he finished 7th in the JRA Cup. He then showed some form on Caufield Guineas Day when ridden by Darren Gauci he won the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes by two lengths. Ridden by Chris Munce, a week later, he led turning for home before being run down finishing fourth behind Sky Heights in the Caulfield Cup. After his run in the Caulfield Cup, it was obvious that Rogan Josh had staying ability, plus he already had form at 3200 metres with his second in the Perth Cup earlier in the year, and he would be real threat in the Melbourne Cup - particularly with his weight of 50 kg - his odds shortened to 15/1. Suddenly everyone wanted to know more about Bart's Perth horse.

Once Rogan Josh was assured of a start in the Melbourne Cup, Bart Cummings entered him to run in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes on Victoria Derby as his final lead-up race. John Marshall was chosen to ride him and Rogan Josh caused an upset by winning the Mackinnon at odds of 12/1. After his Mackinnon win Rogan Josh became 6/1 second favourite for the Melbourne Cup and finished strongly to beat the Goldolphin trained Central Park and win the Group 1 Melbourne Cup three days later. The win was Cummings's 11th Melbourne Cup. Rogan Josh only had one more start in Australia: a 3rd in the Sandown Classic 11 days after the Melbourne Cup before finishing a brave fourth in the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin (Group 1 2400m WFA) in December 1999. He was then retired after breaking down during training in the Autumn of 2000 and is only the third Western Australian horse to win the Melbourne Cup with Blue Spec (1905) and Black Knight (1984) being the other WA Melbourne Cup winners. Of his 38 career starts he had 19 starts at Group/Listed level for five wins, two 2nd's and two 3rd's.

He will always be remembered as a country galloper who took on the best weight-for-age and handicap horses in the eastern states and succeeded. In 2006 Rogan Josh was moved to the Living Legends Retirement Park where he spends the rest of his days with other retired high profile Group 1 winning racehorses