Williams looking to be Sharp and Smart in Moonee Valley Cup

Graeme Rogerson knows the feeling of big race success at Moonee Valley having saluted in the Cox Plate with three-year-old Savabeel.

He also has two Moonee Valley Cups on the mantlepiece when training for Lloyd Williams, courtesy of Zipping (2006) and Gallic (2007).

Now preparing a team of horses in New Zealand with wife Deborah, the Rogerson team will saddle Sharp ‘N’ Smart in Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m) on Friday night.

A Group 1 New Zealand Derby winner in 2023, Sharp ‘N’ Smart also has a Group 1 Victoria Derby placing to his credit and is a more than accomplished stayer who also won the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Cox Plate Day two years ago.

Craig Williams is booked for the ride on Friday night and partnered Sharp ‘N’ Smart at Moonee Valley’s ‘Breakfast With The Best’ on Tuesday morning.

It was Williams’ first sit on the stayer who was sent to The Valley to get a feel of the track.

“He was a little bit lost on his own as there’s lots for a horse to take in,” Williams said.

“You couldn’t get a gauge off his work but if the exercise was to come out and stretch his legs on a lovely, safe track, on a track that he’s competing on, then he’s ticked that box.

“Looking at his form without having any extra information behind us, you would say he’s been a little bit inconsistent, but when he’s good, he’s very good.”

After a strong three-year-old year that also saw Sharp ‘N’ Smart run fourth in the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m), the gelding was below his best during a four-year-old campaign after picking up a bacterial infection.

The Rogerson team sent Sharp ‘N’ Smart to Melbourne after running second at Te Rapa on September 15 before finishing 13th behind Via Sistina in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 14.

“I’m trusting him on his best form and his trainer Graeme Rogerson is very excited about him and said he’s going better than his form reads,” Williams said.

“He said he had excuses for his latest performance because of the weather and the track conditions, so I have trust in the trainer and will see what he does on Friday night.”

Williams, who collected the Group 3 Geelong Cup on Onesmoothoperator on Wednesday, last tasted Moonee Valley Cup success aboard Precedence in 2013.