Alice Springs sprinter The Soldier will be out to give trainer Ken Rogerson his first winner in Melbourne since he left for the Northern Territory 17 years ago at Moonee Valley on Saturday.Rogerson, a first cousin of Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Graeme Rogerson, came from New Zealand and trained at Epsom and then Cranbourne and had his share of success with the likes of What A Nuisance, Enchanteur, Superior Way and Donnies Chance.He made his first trip to the NT when he won the Darwin Cup with

Alice Springs sprinter The Soldier will be out to give trainer Ken Rogerson his first winner in Melbourne since he left for the Northern Territory 17 years ago at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Rogerson, a first cousin of Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Graeme Rogerson, came from New Zealand and trained at Epsom and then Cranbourne and had his share of success with the likes of What A Nuisance, Enchanteur, Superior Way and Donnies Chance.

He made his first trip to the NT when he won the Darwin Cup with Silver Shark in 1991 and decided to stay there in 1993.

"The only feature race I haven't won in the Territory is the Derby," he said.

Rogerson, who has only a small team of six to eight horses these days, was forced to venture to Melbourne with The Soldier as he was getting weighted out of races at home.

The winner of 18 of his 35 starts and more than $230,000 in prizemoney, the Marwina seven-year-old is a 1000m specialist having won 15 of his 21 tries at the trip.

The Soldier carried 64.5kg when he won over 1000m at Fannie Bay on July 10 and 64kg when he scored over 1100m at the same track to complete a hat-trick on July 24.

He then finished sixth under 61.5kg to Lucid Reflection in the Palmerston Sprint (1200m) on July 31 before backing up two days later to win the Lightning Plate (1000m) with 63kg.

"I decided to come this way because I didn't want to break him down carrying those big weights," Rogerson said.

"He's too good a little horse."

The gelding will be ridden by Michelle Payne in the Tab iPhone App Hcp (1000m).

Payne had her first ride on The Soldier at Caulfield on Tuesday morning and Rogerson said she was impressed with him.

Rogerson said The Soldier had missed a couple of gallops because of the wet tracks before his first run in Victoria when fifth to Waltzes over 955m at the Valley on October 29.

"It wasn't a bad run considering and I think he's a lot better now," the trainer said.

"My biggest problem with bringing him here was getting him used to the grass.

"I took him to Adelaide a couple of years ago and he just hated it.

"So that's why I brought him down early to give him some jumpouts and he's really taken to it.

"At his last jumpout he was really good. He jumped out and did everything right."

Rogerson said he won seven races with What A Nuisance including the 1984 VRC Duke Of Norfolk Stakes and AJC Chairman's Handicap before the horse broke down as favourite in the Sydney Cup.

He was transferred to the John Meagher stable and went on to win the 1985 Melbourne Cup.

Rogerson won the 1986 VRC St Leger with Enchanteur, 1988 Launceston Cup with Superior Way and 1992 Grand National Steeplechase with Donnies Chance.

"It would be nice to come back to Melbourne and win another race," he said.

"If he runs well I might leave him here at Caulfield with Byron Cozamanis as I have to go back home."

Rogerson said the gelding could back up in a 1050m Flying at Morphettville on Saturday week.