Cape Kinaveral gave the most successful New Zealand trainer, Graeme Rogerson, his first win in the race. Rogerson said he was closing on 5000 wins worldwide.
He operates from Tuhikaramea (near Hamilton) where he trains both thoroughbreds and standardbreds. His latest venture is a stable in Sydney with Lee Freedman.
Rogerson first started a horse in the Grand National at Riccarton 20 years ago when Noble Heritage finished second to Lismore Lad.
He was an amateur rider who rode in steeplechases in the South Island when attending Lincoln College. He also schooled over the Riccarton country.
Brown raced Ringlock, who won the 1966 Waikato Steeplechase and two McGregor Grant Steeplechases at Ellerslie when trained at Cambridge by Jack Winder.
Ringlock was unplaced in the 1964 Grand National Steeplechase won by John O'Groats.
The Ringlight gelding began racing as an 8yr-old and won a maiden flat race as an 11yr-old over 11 furlongs (2200m) at Avondale in 1966.
Brown races Cape Kinaveral with Rogerson, Max Whitby, of Sydney and the Just Right syndicate, of Auckland.
An $85,000 purchase at the 2004 select yearling sale at Karaka, Cape Kinaveral has won 11 races at $272,000 in stakes. He won seven races and $126,000 on the flat before winning twice over hurdles.
He ran second to Counter Punch as a maiden steeplechaser in the National last year.
Rogerson is now viewing the Pakuranga Hunt Cup and Great Northern Steeplechase for the Cape Cross gelding.
Cape Kinaveral was being ridden for the first time on Saturday by Cody Singer (21).
He was having his second ride in a National Steeplechase. He parted company with his mount, Lizac, last year.
"My instructions were to try and get him to settle but that didn't happen and I just let him bowl to the front [near the 1700m]," Singer said.
Cape Kinaveral retained the lead to win by four lengths.
Singer, who recently shifted to Palmerston North, won a highweight on Secret Magic in March, 2009 in his other ride on a Rogerson-trained horse.
Singer, no relation to Jock Singer, who owned and trained the 1969 and 1971 Grand National Steeplechase winner, Robert Earl, won a Wellington Steeplechase last year on Brushman and the Waikato Hurdles this winter on Borrack.
