Sharp Edge (3 May 1970 – 28 December 1989) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Bred and owned by Sir John Jacob Astor and trained by Dick Hern he showed great promise a two-year-old in 1972 when he won his first three races before looking a somewhat unlucky loser when finishing third in the Royal Lodge Stakes. In the following year he improved to become a top-class miler with a marked preference for soft ground. He finished third in the 2000 Guineas and then recorded back-to-back Group One successes in the Irish 2000 Guineas and the Prix Jean Prat. When matched against older horses he was well-beaten when favourite for the Eclipse Stakes before ending his season by finishing third in a strongly-contested edition of the Champion Stakes. After his retirement from racing he stood as a breeding stallion in Europe and Australia and had some success as a sire of winners.
Background
Sharp Edge was a "big, strong" grey colt bred in Ireland by his owner Sir John Jacob "Jakie" Astor (1918–2000). He was from the penultimate European crop of foals sired by Silver Shark, a top-class performer in France, whose wins included the Prix de l'Abbaye and the Prix du Moulin. Silver Shark was subsequently exported to Japan. Cut Above's dam Cutle was descended from Felucca, the foundation mare of Dick Hollingsworth's stud whose other descendants included Bireme, Longboat, Bolas (Irish Oaks), Dash for Cash (Australian Guineas) and Daffodil (AJC Oaks). Cutle who had been acquired by Astor in a "foal swap" with Hollingsworth went on to produce the St Leger winner Cut Above.
Astor sent his colt into training with Dick Hern at West Ilsley in Berkshire.
Racing career
1972: two-year-old season
Sharp Edge began his racing career in the Kennett Maiden Stakes over six furlongs at Newbury Racecourse in July and won by one and a half lengths from the Bernard van Cutsem-trained favourite Noble Decree. On his next appearance, the colt won the Home Ales Stakes over the same distance at Nottingham Racecourse but was not particularly impressive as he had to be driven out to prevail by half a length from Prince Gourmet. In the New Ham Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse Sharp Edge won again, beating the Windsor Castle Stakes winner Adams Pet by a length. On his final appearance of the season, Sharp Edge was moved up in class and distance for the Royal Lodge Stakes over one mile at Ascot Racecourse. In a rough and unsatisfactory race, he was repeatedly blocked as he attempted to obtain a clear run before finishing strongly to take third place behind Adios and Noble Decree. The form of the race was subsequently boosted when Noble Decree won the Observer Gold Cup and in the winter of 1972/1973 British bookmakers made Sharp Edge the 8/1 second favourite for the 2000 Guineas.
1973: three-year-old season
On his first appearance as a three-year-old contested the Craven Stakes (a major trial for the 2000 Guineas) on firm going at Newmarket Racecourse in April and finished fifth behind My Drifter. He sustained a shoulder injury in the race and was never again asked to run on firm ground. His participation in the 2000 Guineas on 5 May was in doubt until overnight rain softened the track but he produced a very good effort to finish third of the eighteen runners behind Mon Fils and Noble Decree with Thatch in fourth place. In the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh two weeks later Sharp Edge was ridden by Joe Mercer, and started 5/2 joint-favourite alongside Dapper, the Vincent O'Brien-trained winner of both the Tetrarch Stakes and the Gladness Stakes. The other runners included Pitskelly (Tote Free Handicap), Tudenham (Middle Park Stakes), Midsummer Star (2000 Guineas Trial Stakes), Hail the Pirates and Conor Pass. After being restrained towards the rear of the sixteen-runner field, he made rapid progress in the straight, took the lead approaching the final furlong and won by three lengths from Midsummer Star with similar gaps back to Dapper and Klairvimy in third and fourth.