Legendary New Zealand trainer Graeme Rogerson chalked up group 1 victory No.53 as Sharp ‘N’ Smart was too tough for his Spring Champion Stakes rivals at Randwick on Saturday and is predicting No.54 with the same horse in next week’s Victoria Derby.
Sharp ‘N’ Smart sat three-wide throughout the Spring Champion but was the strongest stayer in the end beating Caulfield Guineas runner-up Elliptical by a nose with She’s Extreme a half-length back in third.
Hugh Bowman celebrates after winning the Spring Champion Stakes on Sharp ‘N’ Smart on Saturday.Credit:Getty
It was the first part of Rogerson’s plan, who these days trains in partnership with wife Deborah, to take a group 1 double in Australia.
“He might not be the best horse I have trained, but he has the biggest heart. It was his heart that got him home today,” Rogerson said. “We always planned to go to the Derby next week and I think he will be better over the mile-and-a-half.”
Sharp ‘N’ Smart was $6 in the Victoria Derby and was quickly backed into $4.50 with James McDonald likely to take over at Flemington as Hugh Bowman will be in Sydney to ride Fangirl in the Golden Eagle next weekend.
“I haven’t had a horse like him for a long time. He’s only got one more week and then he can come home and have a good holiday,” Rogerson said. “I’m going to run him in the Derby, he’ll go a mile-and-a-half (2400m) no worries and he’s better on the good track than the wet.”
Sharp ‘N’ Smart (right) holds off his Spring Champion Stakes rivals.Credit:Getty
It might not be one of the prettiest rides from Bowman but it was effective and got the desired result and that’s what counted. He always had Sharp ‘N’ Smart happy and travelling and was close enough to the leaders to allow his superior staying ability to shine.
“I knew it was a sticky draw but I didn’t want to fall into the trap of getting him up racing like he was over the mile at Warwick Farm [when he won the Gloaming Stakes in similar fashion] when he bounced well and I rushed him into the box seat position,” Bowman said.
“I just had to take my medicine but what I was able to do was get him into a really good rhythm, he wasn’t spending any gas and I knew I had the two to beat positioned right in front of me. That is why I didn’t press forward to pocket them, I waited for them to inject pressure into each other. I did my work around the course but they did their work from the 700m to the line and the best horse came out on top.”
The strong westerly wind had played it role all day and Bowman was happy to be three-wide and using the cover of horses around him.
“Being an avid golfer, I know how much the wind assists and the wind hurts and the wind was on our backside until the 1000 then I was covered up from it until the home corner,” Bowman said. “It did work out well on this occasion, it’s not always the case, but without a supreme athlete I wouldn’t have been able to do it. He was screaming out for these distances and now that he’s got to them, he’d have to be a live chance in the VRC Derby. I wish I could go and ride him.”
Blake Shinn gave Elliptical a perfect trip and would have thought he was the winner before being beaten by the strong stayer late.
“He is brave in defeat. The winner was too good on the day but he is very promising horse going forward,” Shinn said.
