While comparisons with his older stablemate Sharp ‘N’ Smart are inevitable, promising 2-year-old colt Solidify is the son of Redwood now in the limelight after adding his first win at stakes level to a burgeoning career when taking out the Listed Waikato Stakes at Te Rapa.
Solidify and multiple Group 1 winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart share the same sire in the Westbury Stud-based Redwood and it looks like lightning may have struck twice for trainers Team Rogerson, with both horses having picked up black-type success during their 2-year-old preparation.
While Solidify will have to go up many levels to match his older barn mate, who won three times at Group 1 level during his recent 3-year-old campaign, co-trainer Graeme Rogerson is convinced he has the ability to reach similar heights.
“Ryan [Elliot, jockey] thinks he is every bit as good as Sharp ‘N’ Smart, which is pretty exciting,” Rogerson said after the victory yesterday.
“The best part of his win was he never really handled the heavy ground that well, but when Ryan asked him for an effort, he lengthened out and did it easy.