Rogilla

Rogilla
Rogilla and Darby Munro at Flemington.
Sire	Roger de Busli (GB)
Dam	Speargila (AUS)
Damsire	Brakespear (GB)
Sex	Gelding
Foaled	1927
Country	Australia
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	Hunter White
Owner	Henry White
Trainer	Les Haigh (and lessee)
Record	70: 26 (5 dead-heats), 12, 11
Earnings	£22,674 $45,348
Major wins
Caulfield Cup (1932) Sydney Cup (1933) Cox Plate (1933) Melbourne Stakes (1933) C.B.Fisher Plate (1933 Randwick Plate (1933) Chelmsford Stakes (1933 & 1934) Spring Stakes (1933 & 1934) Kings Cup (1934) Rawson Stakes (1934) Chipping Norton Stakes (1935) Warwick Stakes (1935)

Rogilla, was a chestnut Australian Thoroughbred gelding, who was a versatile racehorse performing in Australia. Known as the Coalfields Champion from Newcastle, Rogilla raced during a vintage era of the Australian turf. He won in each of the six seasons that he raced as a three-year-old to an eight-year-old. Rogilla was an outstanding galloper in Sydney and Melbourne on wet or dry tracks recording 26 wins from 4½ furlongs to 2 miles with regular jockey Darby Munro winning 16 races.

He was by Roger de Busli (GB) and his dam Speargila was by Brakespear (GB). Roger de Busli (GB) won three races from 20 starts in England. He commenced stud duties in 1925, but sired only one other winner of a principal race in Oro 1935 AJC Metropolitan Handicap.

Rogilla's dam Speargila was a good racemare that won 13 races in Sydney, New South Wales, plus 10 other provincial and country races. Speargila was line-bred to Prince Charlie, as both Lochiel and Clan Stuart were sired by him. She was the dam of six foals, which all raced and were winners. Rogilla was the second foal.

His breeder, Hunter White of Havilah, New South Wales, was a well known Australian Jockey Club committeeman (1910–1940) and granted three consecutive leases to Rogilla's trainer.

Rogilla began his racing career two months short of his fourth season. His racing colours were black, with red armbands and cap. Rogilla was lightly framed and 15.3 hands tall and despite various injuries and illnesses was best remembered for his tremendous courage against the best in the depression era. In 17 of the races he contested he won eight by a neck or less, lost four by a neck or less and figured in five dead heats for first. He always pulled hard in races, which cost him any chance in the three Melbourne Cups he contested.

His best season was at six years of age, when he won 11 from 17 starts and in 1934 he defeated the champion Peter Pan III in four successive meetings including the AJC Kings Cup.