Sharp ‘N’ Smart closing in on return

[Wandering Eyes]

Sharp’N’Smart winning the 2023 edition of the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) with Ryan Elliot. Photo: Trish Dunell

Over the next three months, Hall of Fame horseman Graeme Rogerson could be racing for more than $4 million in prizemoney with two members of his Tuhikaramea stable.

As well as training in partnership with his wife Debbie, Rogerson also part-owns the reigning New Zealand Horse of the Year Sharp ‘N’ Smart and highly promising three-year-old Just As Sharp

Triple Group One winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart is rapidly closing in on a return to racing, while Just As Sharp will shoot for the fourth win of his five-race career when he lines up in the Group 2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) at Pukekohe on Boxing Day.

“I think we’ve got a bit to look forward to,” Rogerson said. “Sharp ‘N’ Smart will be running on January 14 in an open sprint at Ellerslie. Bailey (Rogerson, granddaughter) will ride him there and claim three kilograms in that race. From there, he’ll head into that new four-year-old race on Karaka Millions night.”

Horse racing bookmakers currently rates Sharp ‘N’ Smart a +1100 chance for that race, the inaugural $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 27. Legarto is the +150 favourite, with Desert Lightning at +500 and Waitak +900.

Meanwhile, Just As Sharp heads into Boxing Day as a +800 fourth favourite for the Auckland Guineas.

The Swiss Ace gelding has barely put a foot wrong in his four starts so far. He made his debut in a $40,000 special conditions maiden at Cambridge on July 26, lining up as a two-year-old against older horses and beating Ka Ying Lucky by a short neck. The third placegetter finished another four and a half lengths behind the first pair.

Just As Sharp’s three-year-old debut came at Ruakaka in early August, where he placed behind the undefeated Crocetti, who went on to win the Group 3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), Group 2 Sarten Memorial (1400m) and Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) through the remainder of the spring.

Just As Sharp returned from a freshen-up with a three-length win in Rating 65 company at Rotorua on November 21, then stepped into stakes class with an impressive last-to-first win in the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial (1500m) at Te Rapa on December 2.

“That was a top win, and I think he has the makings of a very good horse,” Rogerson said.

“I’ve been very happy with him since then. He galloped with Sharp ‘N’ Smart on Tuesday morning and had a real good hitout. Ryan (Elliot, jockey) is thrilled with him.

“I was a little bit worried about going from 1500m back down to 1400m, but he’s certainly going in the right direction and I think he’ll run a big race.

“We’ll take him to Wellington after this for the Levin Classic (Group 1, 1600m), and then he’ll come back up to Auckland for the Karaka Millions meeting. We’ll decide what we do with him after that – it could be the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Group 1, 2000m), or it could be the Avondale Guineas (Group 2, 2100m). We’ll be working our way towards the Derby (Group 1, 2400m).

“It might not seem like it for a son of Swiss Ace, but I really think he’s a Derby horse. The way he won the other day, he gives us the impression that he’ll go a lot further. Ryan is very confident that he will.”

Just As Sharp is rated a +1500 chance in the market for the $500,000 Levin Classic at Trentham on January 13. He is available at a quote of +1300 for the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO at Ellerslie on January 27.

The chestnut is a +6000 outsider for the $600,000 Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa on February 10, and he is rated an +1700 chance for the $1 million New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on March 2.

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