The “Ugly Duckling”.
The racehorse Regilla, was bred by Hunter White of Havilah. Mudgee, who gave the colt to his son, Henry Charles White of “Talbragar”, Coolah as a future picnic race horse.
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Here, Rogilla, was broken in by station employee, Albert Rogers, age 53 years, of Coolah, who was tragically drowned in the Coolaburragundy River not far from Booyamurra homestead.
Henry then leased Rogilla to the Newcastle trainer, Les Haigh who with patience and perseverance was amply rewarded with Rogilla easily winning the Caulfield Cup in 1932.
Rogilla was foaled in 1927, and was by the distinguished horse Roger de Buslie from Speargilla a grand-daughter of Carbine.
Thus it is easy to see how the name “Rogilla” derived.
His first win was as three year old, and in that racing season his only win was from three starts in the humble Maiden Welters at Newcastle.
Rogilla showed considerable improvement as a four year old and was looked upon as a possible winner of one of the big Spring races.
After his Epsom and Metropolitan seconds, he was made favourite for the Caulfield Cup.
Originally Regilla was known to race goers as the “Ugly Duckling”.
Later as he battled it out in some of Australian classics with the best gallopers in the land race goers then rechristened him as the “Red Express.”
After his Epsom and Metropolitan seconds, he was made favourite for the Caulfield Cup.
He did not hold this position for long as he went lame with an injury and appeared to be a most unlikely starter.
His leg was injured on the eve of the A.J.C Epsom Handicap when he came into a violent collision on the training track with Rich Lonsdale and although he escaped injury, his customary rider Darby Munro, was put out of commission for a month.
On the eve or the Caulfield Cup, Rogilla’s foot was too sore to touch and there was little possibility of his starting.
His fate took a hand and rain fell on the track making it heavy – a state of affairs that Rogilla revelled in.
However, his trainer Haigh was still not confident and talked a friend out of taking a 3000 pounds to a 20 pounds bet.
Rogilla started in the Cup with Induna and Peter Pan being favourites.
He was ridden by George Johnson as Darby Munro was still out for head injuries.
Staying with the tail enders for the first half mile he moved through the field smoothly until he has second to Johnnie with three furlongs to do.
As Peter Pan turned wide on the home turn Regilla took the lead and in the straight raced away to win by three and a half lengths from Segati, and six and a half lengths from Top Hole.
Peter Pan ran fourth.
In the following Autumn he won the Sydney Cup and even as an eight year old he was still winning weight-for-age events.
He won a total of 26 races, and had five dead heats, 12 seconds, 11 thirds, with an aggregate of 22,674 pounds prize winnings.
When Rogilla returned to training in Autumn 1935 the racer was giving round bone trouble and although he had recently ran in the Randwick Stakes his trouble intensified.
Haigh his trainer then realised that Rogilla’s racing days were over.
An immediate decision was made for his retirement.
He was never to be used a hack and was allowed to wander the paddocks of Henry White, Talbragar Station near Coolah.
His body was buried on Talbragar, whilst only 15 kms way lies in the Coolah Cemetery the remains of Albert Rogers who six years previously had given Roggila his start in a successful racing life.