Native Mudgee trainer Cameron Crockett was vocal prior to Sharpe Hussler's return earlier this month that the gelding wasn't quite right, but believes the horse has turned the corner.
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The seven-year-old has only had the one run since finishing seventh in the inaugural Kosciuszko and it pleased Crockett, running fifth to Invictus Salute at Randwick three weeks ago.
"Everyone will notice he's still not the best in the coat and I think a week after that last run he started to turn the corner,'' Crockett said.
"He wasn't right, we had all the tests done and there was nothing amiss. All we could do was say he doesn't look 100 per cent but all the tests say he is so we let him go around.
The run was good, probably the best he's run for me first-up. I've always thought his best form, particularly for me, was second-up.
- Cameron Crockett
Crockett suspects that the move from Mudgee to Scone has affected a number of his horses and require time to acclimatise.
However, whether that's what has Sharpe Hussler undone is unclear.
The gelding is often a sectional star in his races but Punter's Intelligence shows he only clocked the fourth best last 200m (12.26) of the race when resuming and third best last 600m (35.14).
Since the first-up run, Sharpe Hussler has been back to the trials at Scone and Crockett says it has brought his fitness on significantly.
"I've always trained him fairly kind and I thought there's a trial at home, he only had to walk down the road, just to switch him on and turn him on and get that extra fitness you can't achieve in trackwork,'' he said.
"All I want to see from the horse is to go out and run a good race then come home and improve.
The horse has been going backwards for so long, we're finally getting to the bottom of it and I'd like to think now he will benefit from a race.
"I've done everything in my power to get him to where he should be and other than his off coat everything's indicating he is on the improve.''