Craig Kerry
Matt Smith had ambitions of running Idle Flyer in Saturday’s $6 million Cox Plate (2040m), after she rose to group 1 success in the Queen Of The Turf (1600m) in April.
Now after a frustrating preparation, the Warwick Farm trainer hopes a drop back to mares company in the $2 million Invitation (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday, and a potential gear change, can get her back on track to another group 1 victory.
Idle Flyer was 14th last start in the group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) after a wide draw left the five-year-old back and wide throughout. It followed an encouraging run in the five-horse 7 Stakes (1600m), where she was less than two lengths off champion Autumn Glow.
First-up, she was four and half lengths away from Autumn Glow in the group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) before a flat performance when three lengths back in the group 2 Tramway (1400m).
Smith regrets running Idle Flyer in the Epsom and has switched plans to the 1400m Invitation in the hope she can find form and potentially back up in the group 1 Empire Rose (1600m) at Flemington next week.
“I was looking to go the other way with her [in distance], then she had a bit of a sore hamstring after the Epsom, then I couldn’t back her up and had to come back, so I thought I’d just freshen her up for this,” Smith said.
“I’m hoping she will bounce back.
“She’s been going good at home, I don’t know. I probably shouldn’t have run her in the Epsom. I should have saved her and gone to the King Charles, where we would have got more prizemoney.
“I probably wasn’t happy with her first up. I knew she needed the run, then second up, she was a bit second up, then she ran really well against Autumn Glow and I thought we’re back in business.
“I just can’t write off that Epsom run. She pulled and, to me, she was relaxing better last prep. That was always the issue with her the prep before. We had earmuffs on her, we couldn’t get her to settle, then she got it, so I think it’s just those little things.
“I’ll probably put the earmuffs back on her Saturday. I just want to see her relax and hit the line, and hopefully we can get that right. If she does, she may back up in the mares’ race in Melbourne.
“She’s a big-doing filly. She never leaves an oat, no matter what happens raceday, so she can cop a back-up I reckon.”
Smith believed Idle Flyer, a $7.50 chance from gate eight with Jason Collett aboard, was not far off her best, despite the setback. Fellow group 1 winner Lazzura was a $3.20 favourite from 12 for the Invitation.
“If she found her best form, she’d be top three, no doubt,” he said.
“She’s just got to bounce back.”
Smith had Portland in the group 2 Craven Plate (1800m) but said he may be saved for the Rosehill Gold Cup the following week. He was seventh in the Shannon and Hill Stakes after a virus delayed his spring return.
“If we get a wet track, we may run him this week,” he said.
“We just need to get him the right race.”
His other runner at Randwick, Anythink Goes ($21), will compete in the last as a lead-in to the Little Dance on Melbourne Cup day, when he hopes to have Aethelwulf in the main event at Flemington.
The exciting stayer, second last start in the Metropolitan (2400m), will try to win his way into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) with victory in the group 2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m) at Flemington, where he has gate 19. He has 51kg and sits 49th in the Cup order.
“He’s a very good horse. I don’t know if this year’s coming around a bit quick for him, so we’ll see what happens,” he said.
“He’s doing everything in one prep, so you are hopeful that he can win, but it’s more hopeful than thinking he can win. But he’s done a great job and he’s working well.”
Meanwhile, Smith was looking to the $3 million Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday week with Headwall after his fourth in the Everest.
The seven-year-old finished three-quarters of a length away from winner Tempted and earned $1.5 million in the Everest, where he filled the slot of Max Whitby, Neil Werrett, Col Madden and Steve McCann.
“He went super, we couldn’t be happier, and he’s going great,” Smith said.
“It was great for Max and those guys because the horses who finished in front of us, they could not have got any of them for their slot, so it worked out fantastic for everyone.”