Aminatu shooting for three

Every trainer needs a reliable money spinner in their stable, and for Cranbourne-based trainer Trevor Rogers, that reliable stalwart is speedy mare Aminatu, who he owns in full. The daughter of Danerich strung two wins together for the first time in her career last start at The Valley and will return to her happy hunting ground to make it three this Friday night. Blessed with natural speed and an ability to quicken around the tight turns of Melbourne’s most unique track, Aminatu boasts three wins here at The Valley and has earnt $133,000 of her total $200,000 prizemoney pool at the track. The last start victory tipped her over the treasured double century mark, and trainer Trevor Rogers says she has been of great value to his boutique operation. “It’s very important when you own them yourself,” Rogers said. “It helps get the bills out of the way and keeps everyone happy. And because I do own her myself it’s quite easy to help people out who have given me help.” One night that helped Rogers greatly was the night Aminatu saluted at The Valley at huge odds of $41, following a forgive run in a lesser grade when she dipped out of the barriers. He reminisced the victory with us during the week, suggesting he took the price and cleaned the bookies out, as well as collecting the prizemoney for first place. “That was a good day… “The start before that she was an odds-on favourite and fell out of the barriers on her nose and she couldn’t pick them up. “So they put the price up on that run, but if they had looked at it, it was one of those ones you put a line through.” After winning a Fillies &amp; Mares Benchmark 70 last start, Aminatu drops back to Benchmark 64 grade this week, but will need to shoulder more weight and tackle the boys. She has been assigned 61kg in Heat 7 of the Ladbrokes 55 Second Challenge over 955 metres, and 3kg claimer Sheridan Clarke will again partner her, bringing the weight back down to 58kg. Rogers said the ominous weather on Wednesday wouldn’t dent his mare’s chances, but concedes a soft track will stop her from running time and troubling the scoreboard in the hunt for $55,000. “I’ve gone for the claim again with Sheridan, which will bring her in nicely at the weights. “The only thing that is annoying me a bit is the wet weather around. It just makes it hard to run the quick times that you have to, to try and get the bonus.” Rogers has already had great success at The Valley. In 2019 he took unlikely hero Mystyko from picnic level sprinter all the way through the grades in town and ultimately won the Listed Abell Stakes. That is the same race he plans to target with Aminatu this Autumn, now a six-year-old mare who seems to be getting better with age.

Aminatu shooting for three | The Valley