IF Bendigo trainer Kym Hann needed any extra convincing that his high opinion of Rogue Star was on the money, it arrived on Friday at Geelong.
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The lightly-raced and highly-promising four-year-old won plenty of admirers for his super-tough 1200m benchmark 58 win against solid opposition.
Among those admirers was his jockey John Allen, who was having his first ride on the son of Wanted, and confidently predicted a bright future for the young gelding.
"It was only a 58 grade, but he did have to carry the 62.5 (kilograms) ... he probably won it a little easier than it looked," he said post-race.
"He got there (to the front) and didn't know how to put it away, but he seemed good and strong on the line.
"I'm sure Kym has a big opinion of him and I am sure he will be winning bigger races than this.
"He is a nice type of horse and he's improving and should be competitive in race like that," Allen added in response to Hann's desire to target a midweek city race, potentially as early as his next start.
Rogue Star improved his record to two wins and a third from his first three starts.
The gelding was an impressive winner on debut at Stawell last February and only returned to racing late last month with a third, following a tardy start, at Bendigo.
An impressive win continued a good week for Hann, which still has a bit to play out at The Valley on Friday night and Bendigo on Sunday.
He notched a win earlier in the week at Ararat with the three-year-old filly Swing With Junior.
Hann was effusive in his praise, declaring Rogue Star as 'one of the most promising horses in the stable'.
"I have always had an opinion of him, the whole way along," he said.
"It was good to see him do that today and with a big weight as well - he's just tough. He's a magnificent horse.
"It was a big relief."
Still a work in progress, Hann acknowledged the support of Rogue Star's owners for allowing him to take a patient approach with the gelding.
"He's a Wanted and they can be a little bit rattly - he's just taken a little bit of time," he said.
"The owners have been very patient and given me the time to take him steady.
"We will see how he pulls up. He is one of the most promising horses in our stable, but if you push him to hard he can break."
Hann will toy with the idea of sending Rogue Star to the city for his next start before a likely spell.
"You just have to keep his mind right and he does everything else," he said.
"There is a midweek race coming up on the 23rd (of December), a (benchmark) 64 1200m at Sandown. He might go there and that might be it for this prep.
"He does have a lot of upside this horse.
"And all credit to Johnny Allen, I've got a good strike rate with him - he might have to stay on I think."
Rogue Star was Allen's seventh ride for Hann, with their partnership yielding five wins.
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