Smith earmarked Saturday’s G3 TAB Sapphire S. for the 4-year-old some time ago and with sound lead-up form and a step up in distance she profiles well for the Doomben event.
Tricky Gal successfully resumed from a break with a home track victory in April and has since added two further placings, most recently finishing runner-up at Rosehill over 1300 metres.
“She’s a really nice mare and each of her runs have been good. She gets up to the right distance now and the mile really is her go,” Smith said. “I’m really happy with her and her work has been good. I expect her to run very well.”
Tricky Gal has had four previous starts over 1600 metres for a brace of wins and two runner-up finishes.
“I picked this race out at the start of this preparation. I didn’t intend to give her too many runs and this is the last race,” Smith said.
“She’ll then have a freshen-up and will look for a couple of races in Melbourne for her over the spring. A mile definitely suits her and she might even run further, we haven’t tried her yet but I don’t see why she wouldn’t run 2000 metres.
“A mile definitely suits her and she might even run further, we haven’t tried her yet but I don’t see why she wouldn’t run 2000 metres.” – Matthew Smith
“She settles well and will probably give her a shot at that next preparation.”
Tricky Gal is a daughter of Velocity Gal (Flying Spur), who was successful on four occasions, and both of her foals to race have been winners.
Smith also accepted with Sweet Thomas (Ger) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) in the G3 TAB Long May We Play Premier’s Cup, but he will be staying closer to home.
Watch: Sweet Thomas (Ger) place fourth in the G1 Sydney Cup
“I put him in there as a back-up because we weren’t sure what the weather was going to do in Sydney,” he said. “Now we’ve had a couple of good drying days he’ll stay here and run in the two-mile race.”
Smith was referring to the Coolmore Stayer’s Cup over 3200 metres at Rosehill.
“We just had to work him out and in his first prep he just didn’t fire at all. He’s acclimatised and last prep he ran fourth in the G1 Sydney Cup, which was a super run,” he said.
“He needs a trip and is better at distances of 2400 metres and beyond and there aren’t a stack of races for him so this is a nice option. He’s got to carry a bit of weight and he’ll grind away and be there at the finish.
“He needs a trip and is better at distances of 2400 metres and beyond and there aren’t a stack of races for him so this is a nice option.” – Matthew Smith
“He’s got the stamina and I don’t know how many of the others will run the trip. When you get beyond 2400 or 2600 metres not many can stay, but he certainly does.”
Sweet Thomas won the G3 German St Leger over 2800 meters before his relocation and boasts a stout pedigree that includes the G1 German Oaks winner Salomina (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}) and the former champion German stayer and dual Group 3 winner Saldenschwinge (Ger) (In The Wings {GB}).
Fierce Impact (Jpn)
Meanwhile, Smith has welcomed his dual Group 1 winner Fierce Impact (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) back to the stable to begin his build-up toward the spring.
“He’s back in work and going super. He will probably resume in the G1 Winx S. and hopefully go through to the Cox Plate,” he said.
“That’s our aim. He’s in good shape and spelled very well. He’s only had one run at 2000 metres and won a Group 3 (Summer Cup) so the trip will be perfect.”
Fierce Impact won the G1 Toorak H. and the G1 Cantala S. last spring and finished third in the G1 Chipping Norton S. and fourth in the All-Star Mile during a three-start autumn campaign.
