Smooth Chino will pursue further Group 3 success when he lines up as the favourite in the $200,000 Drummond Golf Belmont Sprint (1400m) on Saturday, marking the return of winter racing action.
The son of Maschino delivered an impressive victory in the Group 3 Northam Stakes (1300m) at his most recent outing, reuniting with jockey Austin Galati, who has maintained an unbeaten six-from-six record aboard the four-year-old.
Priced at $2.20, Smooth Chino is expected to win again for trainer Indianna Weinert, who is set to relocate to South Australia imminently and will take the chestnut gelding with her.
However, securing a farewell victory will be no straightforward task, with Western Empire ($2.80) representing a formidable challenge as the veteran campaigner. The eight-year-old has been Western Australia's premier horse over the past five years, amassing nearly $3.5 million in prize money throughout his journeyman career.
Western Empire has undergone two trials in preparation for this race, finishing first in both hit-outs at Lark Hill on April 20 and May 4. William Pike will reunite with the bay for the first time since the Lee Steere Stakes in November last year. Although the gelding has won only one of nine first-up starts, he has proven effective over the 1400m distance in the latter part of his career, highlighted by a victory in the 2024 Gold Rush.
Rope Them In ($9) finished five lengths behind Smooth Chino in the Northam Stakes but returned with an elevated heart rate, which may have contributed to the sub-par performance. Paul Harvey, who has ridden the gelding to one win from a single attempt, will take the reins once again this weekend.
West Star ($9.50) rounds out the single-digit contenders after finishing a length-and-a-half third in the Northam Stakes, while Diamond Scene ($15), primarily known as a stayer, won first-up in his last campaign.
Napoleonic Gains Spot in Doomben 10,000
In other news, Napoleonic has secured a place in the Group 1 $1 million Doomben 10,000 (1200m) on Saturday after several scratchings opened the door for the three-year-old. Originally omitted from the big race as second emergency, the son of Wootton Bassett will now line up for trainer Tom Charlton following the withdrawals of Abounding, Lady Of Camelot, and Private Eye.
“It’s important because he looks like he’s in a big race with a chance,” Charlton said. “It has always been the plan, and it’s not normally a race where you get a full field. Normally a (benchmark rating) 103 three-year-old gets in, so it was a bit of a spanner in the works. But thankfully, we’re in.
“He worked very well with Linebacker on Tuesday. James (McDonald) came in and rode him, which makes our life easy because he knows where we’re at, and he was very pleased. We can’t fault the preparation thus far.”
Rated a $6 third favourite, jockey James McDonald admitted he feared the worst when Napoleonic was not originally in the final 16 starters. “You try to stay positive, but I was worried he was not going to get there and that would have been a shame,” McDonald said. “We are in the race now, and he is flying.
“I rode him in the spring, and he was an immature three-year-old, but those runs in the autumn have really toughened him up, and he is ready for this now. I would have been really disappointed if he didn’t get a run.”
After winning three races towards the end of last year, the colt resumed with runner-up placings in both the Eskimo Prince and Hobartville Stakes. He finished eighth but not far behind Joliestar in the Cantala Stakes before being spelled with a view to this campaign.
“He is just a different horse from the spring,” McDonald said. “He is a real 1200m horse, who is going to love the pressure at this level. I missed his second trial because I was away, but Zac (Lloyd) was impressed with him. He really likes a soft track, so I’m hoping it will stay in the soft range and heavy would be even better. This race is coming at the right time for him.”
Jimmysstar remains the $3.30 favourite despite being beaten in three runs this preparation, while Grafterburners ($6) shares the second line of betting. The only other runner under double-figure odds is Devil Night ($9), who will soon be heading to stud duties with owners Yulong Investments.
“He’s heading to stud; Yulong have known that,” co-trainer Michael Hawkes said. “He’s actually an exciting horse going to stud up in the Hunter (Valley) at the new Segenhoe. We’ve got a job to do and we’re trying to get that Group 1 again. His form’s actually ridiculous. He’s well in this. I can’t fault him. The horse is outstanding and he’s actually going great guns. He jumped, led, and ran stupid sectionals up front (in the Arrowfield). He’s absolutely flying.”
Despite his confidence, Hawkes acknowledged many dangers in the field. “I did have a good look at this field on Saturday, and I’ve got to be honest, I think it’s very, very even. It’s one of those races where you can throw a dart and there’s going to be four, five, six chances, and he’s one of them. Honestly, I thought Grafterburners is probably (the biggest danger) from the soft draw. I know Jimmysstar’s the quality horse in the race - there’s no doubt about that - but I just thought it was a very even race, especially with a lot of those horses drawing wide out. Hopefully Devil Night can just jump, be on speed there and he’ll give his 110 per cent. I’m not sure what the weather’s planning, he hasn’t raced on a wet track before, I’ve worked him on it, he’s been fine in it, but until you race, you don’t know.”
Private Harry ($20) has disappointed since joining Chris Waller, but the top trainer believes the future stallion can bounce back. “He’s a good horse – he looks great,” Waller said. “His first-up run he blew out (fitness-wise). Long time off, on a heavy track, they went quick early; he and the leader capitulated. He’s trained on well, he looks great, he’s moving well, he’s ready to bounce.”
Reserve Bank ($51) was vetted before his previous outing in the Victory Stakes, and rider Cejay Graham sees the wide draw of 17 as an aid to his barrier manners. “The wide barrier may help a horse like him, not having to stand there for too long, because there are quite a few other horses in the race that have barrier quirks,” she said. “With the track going to be water-affected and him having sort of quirkiness in the gates, hopefully the barrier is a good recipe for him. It was good that I’ve had a sit on him already and got a bit of a feel for him, but he certainly was a bit cheeky in there (the barriers).”
