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.

Advertisement

“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.

“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

Visit the profile page for Redwood

Redwood in upcoming sales:
Advertisment
More Reading...
Winning Return for Talented Redwood Solidify
It may not have been a pretty win, but it was a win nonetheless for Solidify in the Poverty Bay Turf Club 3YO C&G (1100m) at Taupo on Wednesday.
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for So You Think
The Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) for three year-olds on Cup Day at Flemington drew a competitive field of up and comers with So You Think gelding Opening Address stamping himself as a bright prospect for the future with a stylish victory.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Storm Boy Headed to Ireland
Coolmore have today announced via Twitter that top class Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy will be continuing his racing career in Ireland in 2025 under the care of Aidan O’Brien.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
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.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
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.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.