Redwood 2YO Solidify Ready for G1 JJ Atkins

Media Release - Friday June 9

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 Tuhikaramea conditioner co-trains the son of Redwood with wife Debbie and also shares in the ownership group of the Gr.1 JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m) contender.

Solidify will contest the  Gr.1 JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Photo: Trish Dunell

Solidify won two of his three New Zealand starts, including the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa before he departed for Brisbane.

The two-year-old was unplaced in the Gr.2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) after a buffeting in the straight and Rogerson believes a change of luck can see the colt give his Australian counterparts a run for their money in the hands of Ryan Elliot.

“I can’t believe he has drifted in the market ($18). I thought his first run was enormous,” he said.

“He had no luck and got flattened, but he picked himself up again to get to the line. Ryan thought he was going really well turning for home and said if he got the run he would have been right in it.

“He’s been eating everything since and galloped well on Tuesday morning. He’s doing a treat.

“This trip will make the horse and it will be interesting on Saturday. I think he is something really special.”

Rogerson is following a similar path with Solidify that he trod last season with Sharp ‘N’ Smart, also by Redwood, who finished fourth in the JJ Atkins on his way to future multiple Group One victories.

“The trip to Queensland made Sharp “N” Smart and he looks outstanding,” he said.

“He’s won $3 million and the only thing that stopped him having a better record was the wet tracks.”

Sharp ‘N’ Smart will have one outing at home during the Hawke’s Bay spring carnival before he returns to Australia.

Advertisement

“I’ll run him in a trial and probably one day at Hastings before he goes,” Rogerson said.

“I’ve nominated him for the Caulfield Cup (Gr.1, 2400m), the Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m) and the Melbourne Cup (Gr.1, 3200m).

“I’m waiting to see what weight he gets and that will be interesting. At this stage, my thinking is the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and he’ll do New Zealand proud.”

Rogerson is also thrilled with the progress being made by Mascarpone, who hasn’t raced for 16 months.

The Shooting To Win gelding won the Gr.1 Otaki Maori WFA Classic (1600m), but subsequently suffered a suspensory injury during an exhibition gallop at Ellerslie.

“He’s been back in work for six or seven weeks and he looks fantastic,” Rogerson said.

“He’s on the treadmill and swimming and he’s a day-to-day proposition for sure, but he has been all his life.  

“I ran him right-handed at Ellerslie and that’s when he did the damage.”

The winner of eight of his 26 starts, Mascarpone was successful in the 2021 Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) and Rogerson sees the Te Rapa feature as an ideal starting point for the chestnut’s spring campaign.

“All going well, he’ll run in the Foxbridge and then maybe the Tarzino Trophy (Gr.1, 1400m) and the Arrowfield Stud Plate (Gr.1, 1600m),” he said. By Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk– SENZ Racing

Advertisment
More Reading...
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 Queensland Derby
It’s been 15 years since Dariana thumped the colts to win the Queensland Derby (2400m) in 2010 and maybe it’s time for another filly to triumph!
New 2YO SW for Redwood- Can Solidify do a Sharp 'n' Smart?
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.
Solidify Looks Sharp 'n' Smart
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.
King’s Legacy Filly Wins by Three
The Lindsay Park team produced an impressive juvenile winner at Pakenham on Thursday evening with King’s Legacy filly Bella Pietra winning as she pleased.
Little Avondale’s Weanlings Follow Successful Footsteps
Graduates of Little Avondale Stud’s drafts at the NZB National Weanling Sale have a proud record of racetrack success, and stud principal Sam Williams believes his class of 2025 compares favourably with previous years.
Investing in Fillies Can Pay Big Dividends
We saw it earlier this month at Inglis Chairman’s Sale and we saw it again this week, purchasing yearling fillies that can perform to a high level has the potential to yield a big pay day in the sale ring, so let’s take a closer look.
Verry Exciting Weekend Looms
New Zealand horseman Nicholas Bishara will cross the Tasman this weekend to watch his filly Belle Detelle, a three-quarter sister to his ill-fated 11-time Group One Verry Elleegant, contest the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m).
Newhaven Park Confirm 2025 Fees
One week after Newhaven Park bred, raised and sold Cool Archie recorded his second successive juvenile stakes race victory in the Group 2 Spirit of Boom Classic at Doomben, Newhaven Park stud principal John Kelly has confirmed the 2025 service fees for the first-crop 2-year-old’s sire Cool Aza Beel (NZ), as well as the farm’s two associate stallions Xtravagant (NZ) and Mo’Unga&nb
Juvenile Trial Watch - Rosehill
Trials this morning at Rosehill were run on a heavy 9 so horses were well held together and not asked for too much, but there were still a couple of intriguing unraced heat winners by Extreme Choice and Justify (USA), plus we got another look at the $1.4million Wootton Bassett (GB) colt from Sunlight.
Sires With Winners - Thursday May 29
Here is the full list of 41 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.