Horse racing: Trainers of star 4yos satisfied by form

Sharp N Smart winning Herbie Dyke at Te Rapa last February. Photo / Race Images

Vastly different results have produced the same levels of satisfaction from the trainers of superstar four-year-olds Legarto and Sharp ‘N’ Smart after their first public outings of 2024.

The two multiple Group 1 winners met in a trial restricted to black type horses at Tauranga on Tuesday and while Legarto won the 1100m catchweight, last season’s NZ Derby winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart never got warm and finished well behind the bunched first four home.

But co-trainer Graeme Rogerson says he isn’t worried.

“He was only at the trial for a day out and dropped the bit and wasn’t pushed.

“It will probably be the same at Ellerslie next week when he goes to the sprint, I don’t think he can win that either but he will be better for the new four-year-old race Karaka Millions night and then better again for the Herbie Dyke (Te Rapa, February 10).”

After winning three Group 1s last season, including beating Campionessa and the older horses in the Herbie Dyke at Te Rapa before his Derby success, Sharp ‘N’ Smart’s class is not in question but futures punters will be wanting to see more from him under race conditions.

He and Legarto will both contest an open 1400m at Ellerslie’s return to racing meeting on Sunday week and Legarto’s trainer Ken Kelso can go into the race more confident for two reasons.

Not only did the Australian Guineas winner look fit when winning her trial without being out under duress but Sharp ‘N’ Smart being in the same comeback race means Legarto will have to carry only 58kg. Sharp ‘N` Smart gets the 60kg topweight.

Legarto will also get Sharp ‘N’ Smart’s regular jockey as Ryan Elliot sticks with the mare and Rogerson’s granddaughter Bailey Rogerson is likely to take the reins at Ellerslie with no decision made on who will ride Sharp ‘N’ Smart in the $1 million Aotearoa Classic on January 27.

Kelso says Legarto is where she needs to be for her return to racing, even as she continues to fill out.

“Next week’s race is ideal, being 1400m with Sharp ‘N’ Smart in it to bring her weight down a bit and it also gives her a look at Ellerslie, which she has never been to before.”

Legarto will then head to the Aotearoa Classic for which she is the $2.60 TAB favourite before stepping up to 2000m for the Herbie Dyke.

She could then contest the Bonecrusher NZ Stakes back at Ellerslie on March 9 and have three weeks between runs before heading to Flemington for the A$3m Australian Cup.

The latter now fits far better into any autumn plans for New Zealand’s best weight-for-age horses as it has been moved to March 30 so no longer clashes with the NZ Stakes and Auckland Cup meeting.

That also gives Legarto the opportunity to return to the scene of her greatest victory in the Australian Guineas last March.

WHERE THE GLAMOUR 4-YEAR-OLDS COULD GO

Jan 14, Ellerslie: $65,000 Open handicap 1400m

Jan 27, Ellerslie: $1million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic, 4yos, 1600m

Feb 10, Te Rapa: $600,000 Herbie Dyke Stakes, w-f-a, 2000m.

March 9, Ellerslie: $450,000 Bonecrusher NZ Stakes, w-f-a, 2000m.

March 30, Flemington: A$3million Australian Cup, w-f-a, 2000m.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.