BY | Nick McGrath, The Central Western Daily
Stilettoed Vixen will look to use Anzac Day’s Soldier’s Saddle to bounce back from a disappointing Central Districts Racing Association country championship campaign.
One of the early favourites for the rich championship heat, David Smith’s mare ran fourth in horrible conditions at Mudgee before running 11th in the wild card at Muswellbrook in her last start to miss out on a run in the final at Royal Randwick.
Smith says the 1400 metre distance for Wednesday’s $30,000 Bathurst feature race will suit his classy five-year-old and, with a sector of Vixen’s sindicate in the armed forces, the Mudgee-based trainer says a win in the Soldier’s Saddle would mean plenty to the owners.
“It’d be a massive win for us if we can pull it off,” Smith said.
“The Bathurst track will suit her. She’s going well and we’re positive.”
There is one hurdle that might prove tough to clear, though.
“She’s only a small mare and she’ll have to lug the full 60 kilograms, that’ll test her,” Smith added.
A win in Wednesday’s feature will cap a massive week for Smith, with promising four-year-old Bezel chalking up Smith’s first Sydney winner – outside of highway races – last Wednesday.
The bay gelding with impeccable bloodlines – he’s by leading sire Street Cry and from multiple group one winning mare Beaded – dominated the 1550m handicap at Kensington, storming away to win by two lengths in a dominant run to the line.
Smith’s runner blew away four Chris Waller trained horses to take home the $21,970 winner’s cheque.
“My brother pointed out to me that it was Smith then Waller, Waller, Waller, Waller,” the Mudgee trainer laughed.
“I told the owners he’s a top three or four chance and we were aiming for a highway (the week) after. We more or less took him down for a tune up for that race.
“We put (Jean Van) Obermeire on to take off two kilos but thought he’d be outclassed.
“But he dominated and showed a massive turn of foot to win.”
It was Bezel’s fourth career victory and Smith will send the last-start winner to Hawkesbury for the stand-alone meeting on Saturday looking for a fifth in quick time.
He’ll run in the 1500m handicap with the end goal of bumping up his benchmark points enough to earn a run in the Scone Cup.
“He’s promising. He’s pulled up a treat. He’s bouncing back out of his skin to get another run and the Scone Cup is in the back of our mind,” Smith added.
“He’d be on the limit (benchmark wise), he’d be a rough hope at the moment.
“He’s bred to be a superstar though. His form did tapered off but he’s getting back to those early three-year-old days again.”
Article source: https://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/story/53603…