With a plethora of options for Australia’s elite short-course gallopers this weekend, Sydney trainer Matthew Smith is keen to capitalise on the opportunities for his top two 1000-metre horses.
Headwall is being prepared to defend his Concorde Stakes title at Randwick. Concurrently, Smith’s preference is to send Way To The Stars to Melbourne to contest the Moir Stakes.
However, Way To The Stars’ eligibility for the $750,000 Group 1 event at Sandown is subject to the prevailing weather conditions.
Following unplaced runs in the July Sprint (1100m) and Missile Stakes (1200m), Way To The Stars showed his form with a victory in a 1045m trial at Randwick last Friday. Smith is hopeful that this recent race fitness will prove beneficial on Saturday.
“We had a plan with him, give him an 11 and 12 (hundred-metre race) get him as fit as we could and send him down there and see what happens,” Smith commented.
“We might catch some of those out first-up, but he’d need to get the right track condition.
“He’ll probably go if it’s not too wet.”
Way To The Stars, a son of Reward For Effort, has a record of two wins and three placings from ten starts on Soft tracks, but has recorded six of his eight career victories on Good tracks.
Sandown’s track was rated a Soft 7 on Monday morning. Although no significant rainfall is forecast for Melbourne this week, there is a possibility of showers each day from Tuesday through to race day.
Fair conditions are anticipated in Sydney throughout the week. Smith is excited about Headwall’s return to racing, his first start since winning the $1 million Concorde Stakes last year, which this year will be run at Group 2 level for the first time.
The seven-year-old sustained a pastern injury soon after his last victory, leading to him being sidelined last spring. Nevertheless, he has undergone an extensive preparation for his return and performed well in two trials during August.
“It’s going to be a really good race, but he’s going as good as what he was last year going into the race and he’s been in work for a while, he’s fit and well,” Smith added.
Betting markets are already heating up for this major sprint contest at online bookmakers.