A powerfully built son of Westbury Stud resident Ferrando produced a tenacious performance to open his account at long odds at Trentham on Saturday.
The Team Rogerson-trained Sharp Enough took on older opposition from an awkward gate in a 1000 metre dash and coped in style to score at 30 to one.
Despite the lack of market support, there was confidence in the camp around the lightly raced three-year-old’s prospects.
“We thought he would run very well, he had a wide draw, but Bridget (Grylls) rode him well,” stable representative Peter Stanaway said.
“His last run wasn’t that bad, it was better than it looked to be fair.”
Sharp Enough had finished fourth at Te Rapa three runs back before he was out of the frame at Tauranga and turned his form around in style at Trentham.
He was caught four and five wide on the pace but flattened out well in the straight and took some pulling up by Grylls after the line.
“There was a lot of pace in the race and the plan was to be third or fourth but we got caught out,” she said.
“He travelled well though and hit the line strongly and wanted to keep going.”
Part-owned by co-breeder and trainer Graeme Rogerson, Sharp Enough is the second winner produced by the late Duelled mare Speak Up and is the sixth individual winner for Ferrando with Grove Street, Skymax and Zorro’s Revenge also stakes placed.
A son of Fast ‘N’ Famous, Ferrando was speed demon who won eight races up to 1200 metres, including the G3 Mr Tiz Trophy and the Listed Lightning Handicap and was twice placed in the G1 Telegraph Handicap.