3 minute read
A connection established nearly 20 years ago continues to pay dividends for Cambridge couple Paul and Cushla Smithies as they added another highlight to an already wonderful season with the win of No Tricks at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
The Savabeel three-year-old filly provided the Smithies’ with cause for celebration as she became the first horse they have both bred and owned to win at stakes level in Australia through her victory in the Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes (1800m).
The win came in the hands of trainer Wayne Walters who Paul Smithies met in the mid nineties when he trained Bellereve, the first horse ever bred by Smithies and his wife.
“We had sold Bellereve as a yearling and she went to Alan Jones initially,”
explained Smithies.“Alan took her to Australia and at some stage she transferred to Wayne. I ended up buying her back as a broodmare although Wayne convinced me to keep her racing and we ended up winning another three races.
“We have been friends ever since so when Cushla and I were looking to send No Tricks to Australia it was quite simple to send her to Wayne.”
No Tricks is the daughter of Al Akbar mare Mezaire who was bred and raced by Smithies and his uncle Bernie Connors from the Walters stable where she won six races.
She is the fifth individual stakes winner this season from the Smithies’ Monovale
Farm operation, a list that includes Group One winners Platinum Witness and Puccini along with Group Two winner Adrift.A victory at stakes level in New Zealand in the autumn convinced Smithies that No Tricks deserved a shot at an Australian equivalent so she was sent to Queensland with the Gr. 1 Queensland Oaks as her main assignment.
Unfortunately she had no joy in her lead-up races and in the Oaks itself where she ended up running an unlucky sixth.
“Wayne was adamant she was going well and we should press on after the Oaks so we set her for this race and his judgment has proven spot on,” he said.
“After she secured black type with her win in the Warstep Stakes at Riccarton we were very keen to see if we could do the same in Australia to further enhance her future value as a broodmare.
“To be able to do that is very exciting and hopefully it won’t be the last for her.
“She will now head to the spelling paddock in Queensland before we look at a programme for her next season however at this stage we will definitely be continuing with her racing career before she heads back here to become part of our broodmare band.”
