Horse racing: Main players stunning in different ways at Te Rapa

HORSE RACING NZ Racing Desk Sunday 1 January FREE FOR EDITORIAL USE Prowess dominates at the finish of the Gr.2 Jamieson Park Auckland Guineas (1600m) Photo / Trish Dunell Prowess and Warren Kennedy return to the Te Rapa birdcage

The classic Derby clash New Zealand punters are craving is anything but certain even though the two main players were stunning in different ways at Te Rapa yesterday.

First, the filly Prowess streeted her rivals in the $140,000 Ellis Classic, but just over an hour later, Sharp ‘N’ Smart was even more impressive, beating some of our best older weight-for-age horses over 2000m in the $450,000 Herbie Dyke Stakes.

It was a race he had no right to win, second up after a gutbuster at Trentham and then trapped three wide for half the race, but the big gelding showed special qualities to fight off Campionessa, with fellow three-year-old Wild Night grinding his way past Defibrillate into third.

That may see Wild Night bypass the $1 million Derby back at Te Rapa but it is definitely the next and main aim for Sharp ‘N’ Smart, who already had a Derby second at Flemington to his credit.

His win was testament not only to his toughness but that of jockey Ryan Elliot, who was on tiny rations all week to make the 54kg and pay back trainer Graeme Rogerson, one of his biggest supporters.

Sharp ‘N’ Smart finished the day as the $2.60 favourite for the Derby, with Prowess the only other chance in single figures at $3.80 after she blew away moderate filly rivals in the Ellis Classic.

Rider Warren Kennedy used her early speed to be outside the leader and then one-one, and she won so easily, she could have put 10 lengths on her rivals had she been asked.

While co-trainer Roger James is adamant Prowess will cope with the extra 400m of a Derby, he warns punters it is not certain Prowess will return to Te Rapa in three weeks.

“There is a good chance she will be there but that is not set in stone,” says James, who trains with Robert Wellwood. “She has some really good options in Australia that could well culminate in the ATC Oaks, so we will sit down and look at those two paths this week.

“We will also see how she comes through and then see how the others like Rogey’s horse [Sharp ‘N’ Smart] also come through their races and we still have the Avondale Guineas horses racing next Saturday.”

If Prowess skips the Derby to chase Australian riches, Sharp ‘N’ Smart will be odds-on for the classic.