Everything you do in life is extra special when you do it with family or friends, and while winning a group 1 race is a highlight in any trainer’s career, David Smith knows this one would be that little bit better because of who he would do it with.
Smith has already won a Group 1. Last year, during COVID-19, and with travel restrictions and limitations, he sent his smart middle distance performer Classy Ethics to Queensland to campaign. She was stepped up to staying and claimed the Group 1 Queensland Cup at Albion Park in July, but naturally Smith couldn’t be there, and while he was listed as the owner, local mentor Jeff Crawford was the winning trainer.
Back in 2018 he also came close to a Group 1 when his bitch Benkennie Chic came within ¾length of winning the Dapto Megastar, finishing runner-up behind Zipping Tayla.
But tonight at Wentworth Park, Smith has three chances of Group 1 glory, all in the Ladbrokes National Futurity Final, all in his name as trainer, and all part-owned by his good friends Michael and Michelle Jones.
Last Friday in the heats of the Futurity, Smith qualified Super Estrella (box 1), Me Me Mia (box 2) and Ice Cream Story (box 8) for tonight’s feature, one of three Group 1s on a star-studded program.
“You need to be lucky to get one dog through to a Group 1 final, and is a major achievement, so to get three through … well I was a bit lucky,” Smith said.
“And what makes it more special for me is that Mick and Shelley own all three of them.
“Our friendship goes back about 15 years now. Lorraine Atchison ran out of room for some of our pups and she said to me I should try Mick and Shelley and it’s just gone from there.
“They have been whelping and rearing all my dogs for a long time now and when they had a few extras I started training them basically.
“We’re close friends now and we holiday together and do different things together as friends do, so it would be so good to win a Group 1 together.”
While delighted and considering himself lucky to have qualified the trio for the final, Smith admits he gave all three of his bitches a good chance heading into the heats last week.
“I think the one people were writing off was Me Me Mia but I thought she could break 30s from the red box and you are a good chance to sneak through in the first three if you can do that. I didn’t necessarily think she would win, but I gave her a good chance of qualifying,” Smith said of Me Me Mia who won her heat in 29.84s.
“Super Estrella has been going well (she clocked a slick 29.76s two runs back) but the issue with her is around other dogs. She is just learning to race, and if she gets caught in the field, she tends to shy away.
“She is just getting used to running and she’s young and she’s been thrown in the deep end and hadn’t trialled her a lot with other dogs, it’s just been all in races, and a couple of times she’ll be caught on the fence and been cramped and didn’t like it. But she’ll get better.
“Ice Cream Story, I’d rather she was drawn on the inside. She has been a bit hit and miss with the start. She gets her head right down trying to anticipate it, and she has missed it a couple of times. She hits her head on the box. She has the right technique - she’s not playing up or backing away - she’s just not getting it right anticipating it. She just needs to get it right on Saturday night.”
Favourite for the Futurity is the Luke Adams-trained Zipping Sapporo who clocked a flying 29.61s (faster than the seven Derby heat winners) in the Futurity heats on Friday, January 15. She has drawn box three alongside Me Me Mia.
“Luke will be confident with the three as well, she’s just as well drawn as any of ours,” Smith said. “Being outside Me Me Mia might be perfect for him but you never know with dogs how things pan out.”
