Graeme Rogerson is hoping the similarities between talented two-year-old Solidify and his triple Group 1-winning stablemate Sharp ‘N’ Smart continue to stack up.
The Tuhikaramea trainer prepares both sons of Westbury Stud stallion Redwood with wife Debbie and shares in the ownership groups with the Karaka nursery’s principal and breeder Gerry Harvey.
Solidify impressively opened his winning account over 1200 metres at Te Rapa in his second appearance to draw early comparisons with Sharp ‘N’ Smart.
The colt settled third last before improving across the top and he rounded off powerfully under jockey Ryan Elliot to win going away by 1.8l.
“His work has been fantastic. When Ryan (Elliot) came in on Tuesday and Thursday and worked him, he said he thinks he’s a Sharp 'N' Smart. I said that will do me,” Rogerson said.
Solidify will back-up in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes and may then follow the path his esteemed stablemate took last season.
“He is running in the two-year-old stakes race next Saturday at Te Rapa. I’d have loved it to be 1400 metres,” Rogerson said.
“He will run in that and then I will decide whether I run him in the Listed Futurity at Pukekohe or take him to Queensland for the Listed Phoenix and the Group 1 JJ Atkins. That is what we did last year with Sharp 'N' Smart.
“I think you will see him as a classic horse. Redwoods shouldn’t do that as two-year-olds.”
Solidify had finished third on debut at Tauranga where he was squeezed back at the start and finished strongly once into the clear in the closing 250 metres.
He was knocked down to Rogerson for $140,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale and is out of the Redoute’s Choice mare The Warrior Woman.
In foal to Reliable Man, she was successful on five occasions up to 2000 metres and has a half-brother by Reliable Man who will be offered later this year at the Ready to Run Sale.
The Warrior Woman is a sister to the Group 1 Australian Oaks winner Royal Descent, who also placed eight times at the elite level, and the family of the dual Group 1 winner Golden Sword and well-performed sprinter and sire Falkirk.