Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) Back to Best in Waikato Cup

Multiple Group One-winning Karaka Book 2 graduate Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood) returned to top form in style on Saturday with a supreme performance in the $140,000 Group Three Skycity Hamilton Waikato Cup (2400m) at Te Rapa.

Sharp ‘N’ Smart was a $55,000 purchase by Rogerson Bloodstock from Westbury Stud’s draft in Book 2 of Karaka 2021. He has now had 33 starts for seven wins, 10 placings and over $3.4m in stakes – more than 61 times his purchase price.

The high-class gelding earned New Zealand Horse of the Year honours as a three-year-old in the 2022-23 season, when he won five of his eight starts including the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) in Sydney and the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) on home soil. He also ran second in the Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) and Thorndon Mile (1600m) and finished fourth on unsuitable heavy ground in the Group One Australian Derby (2400m).

Sharp ‘N’ Smart went winless through his four and five-year-old seasons, but during that time he was plagued by long-lasting effects from a virus.

The spring of his six-year-old season produced early glimpses of the old Sharp ‘N’ Smart, including a third in the Group One Livamol Classic (2040m) in October, and on Saturday he made a welcome and impressive return to winning form under a 59-kilogram topweight.

After enjoying a comfortable run in fourth, jockey George Rooke threw down the gauntlet a long way from home. He pressed forward on Sharp ‘N’ Smart and raced into a clear lead before the turn.

The challengers lined up to try to run him down in the straight, all of them carrying significantly less weight, but Sharp ‘N’ Smart stubbornly refused to let them past. He showed tremendous grit and determination to cling on and beat Gigi (NZ) (Ghibellines) and The Odyssey (NZ) (Zacinto) by a head and a long head.

“I knew we had to be more positive today and it has taken me three or four times to get it right with him,” Rooke said.

“He just hit that flat spot about half a mile out and I thought I’d rather commit too soon than not soon enough, and he has just out-battled them.

“I was a bit worried when The Odyssey came alongside, but when I fought him off, I thought it was going to take a good one to get past him.

“Then I saw Gigi and thought ‘oh no’, but he stuck his head down and got it done.”

Sharp ‘N’ Smart’s return to the winners’ circle was a special moment for his trainers, Graeme and Debbie Rogerson.

“I’m so proud of this horse and the team behind this horse,” Debbie Rogerson. “It has been a real journey.

“I set him for this race in my home town and we just wanted to win it. It was a good run and he was tough, so credit to the horse.

“Everyone has been knocking the horse, but they don’t know what has been wrong with him. He had a horrific bacterial virus and it took him 12 months to get over it.

“We gave him a good spell, and we knew he was getting back to his best this time in, so it might be back to the Melbourne Cup (Group One, 3200m) next year.

“We might look at the Queen Elizabeth (Group Three, 2400m) next and then the Auckland Cup (Group Two, 3200m).”

Karaka 2026 will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre from January 25 to 29, with Book 1 on January 25 and 26, Book 2 on January 27 and the new Karaka Summer Sale on January 29.

Vendor	Karaka 2021: Westbury Stud2021 Ready to Run Sale: Dormello Stud
Purchaser	Rogerson Bloodstock (Waikato)
Breeding	Redwood – Queen Margaret
Sale	Lot 612, Karaka 2021 Book 2, $55,000Lot 255, 2021 Ready to Run Sale, Psd (Res $90,000)
Breeder	G Harvey
Owner	G A Rogerson, Todd Bawden, C A Leishman, NZ Thoroughbred Holdings Ltd, M & M Butterworth & M B Waddy