News - REDWOOD (GB)

Promising Kiwi filly Elsie May broke through for her first victory for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace in the Tobin Brothers Celebrating Lives Handicap (1600m) at Sandown on Wednesday under a determined Luke Campbell ride.

A highly successful season for Redwood (GB) continued at the weekend with another pair of significant home-bred winners for the Westbury Stud resident.

Westbury Stud’s Redwood (GB) has a number of promising galloper son the rise and one of them is Tuchel (NZ), who scored a deserved win in the Group III Premier Plate (1800m) at Sha tin on Sunday.

Kicking off a new campaign at Caulfield on Saturday after four months off the scene, highly promising New Zealand-bred gelding St Lawrence wasted no time in making his mark.

Trainer Tony Gollan has made little secret of the high-regard in which he holds progressive galloper Antino.

The Listed Wayne Wilson (1600m) may have been something of a consolation prize at Eagle Farm on Saturday, but a spectacular performance by New Zealand-bred Antino has eased any disappointment for his trainer Tony Gollan and got him thinking about spring carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne.

Graeme Rogerson is confident of a bold showing from Solidify at Eagle Farm on Saturday and he’s also looking forward to the longer-term benefits from the Queensland venture.

The Epsom Derby was run last weekend and while many breeders may question how a mile and a half staying race for three year-olds in England has any possible relevance to us, it’s time to think again.

Think About It was not the only four year-old with an impressive winning strike rate that saluted at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Outstanding three-year-old Sharp ‘N’ Smart returned to the Tuhikaramea stables of Graeme and Debbie Rogerson on Friday as he prepares for a lucrative four-year-old season.

Every breeder or buyer’s aim is usually focused on finding the next Group 1 winner.

While comparisons with his older stablemate Sharp ‘N’ Smart are inevitable, promising two-year-old colt Solidify is the son of Redwood currently in the limelight after adding his first win at stakes level to a burgeoning career when taking out the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Services 2YO Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa.

Graeme and Debbie Rogerson hope that it is a case of lightning striking twice after Solidify put his rivals to the sword when winning the Decise Electrical and Control 2YO (1200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Triple Group One winner Sharp 'N' Smart is ready to put his best foot forward when he contests Saturday’s A$2 million Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick for trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson.

Westbury Stud stallion El Roca is developing a great association with the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m).

It was the case of third time lucky for the Lisa Latta-trained stayer Platinum Invador ($22.80), who upset calculations in Saturday’s Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) to register a deserved big race success.

Raging hot favourite Sharp ‘N’ Smart made good on the promise of co-trainer Graeme Rogerson as he showed all the star qualities he possesses with a superlative performance to take out the Gr.1 Auckland Thoroughbred Racing New Zealand Derby (2400m).

It’s hard to dismiss the similarities between Sharp ‘N’ Smart and Savabeel.

Outstanding three-year-old Sharp ‘N’ Smart overcame a wide run in transit against a quality field of middle distance performers to capture the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa in a performance that had to be seen to be believed.

A more developed and powerful version of Sharp ‘N’ Smart will be unveiled on Saturday when the top three-year-old resumes at Trentham.