3 minute read

Paul and Cushla Smithies' dream season just keeps getting better.

The Monovale Farm proprietors have already enjoyed Group One success this season with Thorndon Mile winner Puccini, who they bred and race, and 1000 Guineas winner Platinum Witness, who they bred.

Through the deeds of that pair, both of whom have also won multiple other stakes races as well, the Smithies had put themselves into contention for breeder of the year honours.

Those claims were embellished even further on Saturday when two other youngsters they bred thrust their names into calculations for Group One spoils in the coming weeks with Group wins on either side of the Tasman.

In Sydney, Zabeel filly Adrift dazzled with a fresh-up 1200m win in the Gr.2 Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick, while at New Plymouth, Rip Van Winkle filly Magic Dancer ran out a comprehensive winner of the Gr.3 Phoenix Park 2yo Classic.

The Smithies bred Magic Dancer in partnership with Hamilton trainer Graeme Rogerson, who has retained a share in the filly he trains with his wife Debbie.

Magic Dancer has now won two of her four starts and could yet tackle one of the upcoming Group One two-year-old races.

Magic Dancer's dam Dazzling Belle is one of a handful of mares Smithies and Rogerson are breeding from together, the pair also responsible for breeding another filly of Group One potential this season, Pipi Beel, who has won her last two starts for trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.

Adrift, closely related to Cox Plate winner Maldivian, could now be set for both the Gr.1 Australian Oaks at Randwick and the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks at Doomben.

"I'd talked to a few of the Coolmore guys and to Gai Waterhouse at the sales and they were saying then she was top-class and they'd be aiming her for the Oaks," Paul Smithies said.

"That was a huge effort on Saturday."

Having also produced Ezra for a stakes placing behind Mongolian Khan at Ellerslie before Christmas and Flying Orca for a Listed Wanganui Cup placing this season, the Smithies will seek further black-type from their breed with Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks aspirations for Platinum Witness and Puccini tackling this weekend's Gr.1 Haunui Farm Weight-For-Age Classic at Otaki.

"Another Group One would be nice," Smithies said.

"If he does go well, there are plans to take him to Aussie for the Australian Cup, but he would need to show us he would be up to it."