Teenage trainer Ben Currie's adventure with Toowoomba sprinter Rothera is set to continue in Sydney during the autumn when the five-year-old bids for the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm.Currie, 19, has pencilled in a 1200-metre Quality Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday week for Rothera's comeback following his last-start failure in the Group One Emirates Handicap (1600m) at Flemington in November.Rothera had a barrier trial for the first time this campaign when he finished unpl

Teenage trainer Ben Currie's adventure with Toowoomba sprinter Rothera is set to continue in Sydney during the autumn when the five-year-old bids for the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm.

Currie, 19, has pencilled in a 1200-metre Quality Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday week for Rothera's comeback following his last-start failure in the Group One Emirates Handicap (1600m) at Flemington in November.

Rothera had a barrier trial for the first time this campaign when he finished unplaced to stablemate Pacific Express over 860 metres at Doomben on Tuesday.

Currie made headlines with Rothera when the son of Tobougg won the Group Three Betfair Stakes (1400m) on a heavy track at Caulfield last October.

He had only been training for 12 months and would have become the youngest trainer to win a Group One race if the gelding had been successful in the Emirates.

Unfortunately, Rothera suffered bad interference in the feature and was all but pulled out of the race won by Kiwi sensation Wall Street.

"He had a couple of cuts on both hind legs but we're lucky they weren't long-term injuries and he never got an infection," Currie said.

"He healed quick and only had two weeks in the paddock and has been in work for more than two months."

Currie is hoping Rothera will run well enough first-up to head to Sydney before returning for the Brisbane winter carnival.

"After the spring we decided to set him for the Chipping Norton but the wet weather has disrupted his campaign," he said.

"He was going to go to the Apollo Stakes first before the Chipping Norton and hopefully he can still go that way.

"If not there's the Liverpool City Cup and George Ryder Stakes."

Currie has noticed a difference in Rothera this campaign.

"He's still the same horse ability-wise but his racing manners seem to have improved," he said.

"As a young horse he liked to play around and wasn't concentrating. He's settling a lot better now."

Currie is considering two options with Rothera during the winter.

"If he can get 2000 metres I'd like to aim him for the Doomben Cup but if he can't I'll bring him back for the Stradbroke," he said.

"There's always a lot of speed in the Stradbroke which will suit him and a wet track would be even better."

Currie is in his final year studying for a bachelor of communications degree at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba.

He deferred his second semester exams during the spring while he took Rothera to Melbourne.

"I'm due to take my second semester exams this month but this will be my final year of studies," he said.

"I put in for a scholarship which TVN have been offering and I hope I'm in with a chance. I should know whether I get the scholarship next week."