Canny Kiwi trainer Graeme Rogerson is hoping Spring Champion Stakes winner Sharp’n’Smart can go one better than his illustrious stablemate Savabeel who also won that event but finished second in the Victoria Derby in 2004.
In a quirk of fate, the changing of the date of the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick from the start of October to the week before the Victoria Derby is likely to make the race a perfect lead-in to the Flemington classic.
Rogerson estimated Sharp’n’Smart had covered an extra 50 metres than the gazetted distance of 2000 metres of the Randwick race but still managed to win.
“I’m going to run him in the (Victoria) Derby next Saturday, he will go a mile and a half, don’t worry, and he will win the Derby,” Rogerson said.
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“I haven’t had a horse like this for a long time. I’ve trained a lot of good horses but boy this horse has such a big heart.”
TopSport firmed Sharp’n’Smart into $4 second favourite after the win.
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Sharp’n’Smart defeated Caulfield Guineas runner-up Elliptical grabbing him in the final stride.
Co-trainer Sam Freedman said they might take on the older horses in the VRC Champions Stakes (2000 metres) on the final day of the Flemington carnival.
TopSport has Elliptical as a $15 chance.
James Cummings said that Golden Mile who won the Callander-Presnell Stakes, along with Aft Cabin are the pair of horses he is aiming at next year’s Cox Plate.
