They’ve only ever got ten or so horses in work at any given time, but the Canberra-based training partnership of Ron Weston and John Nisbet may have uncovered a smart one with their Squamosa gelding Smuggler’s Bay.
The four-year-old hasn’t done much wrong in four starts to date with three victories and a close-up second, but co-trainer Nisbet believes he has been doing it on pure ability alone, and can’t wait until he competes on a more suitable surface on top of the ground.
Smuggler’s Bay is likely to get that at Royal Randwick this Sunday where he is nominated for the Highway Handicap over 1100m.
“He won very well first-up at Wagga on a good track, and then he struck three wet tracks which we don’t think he’s comfortable on,” Nisbet said.
“We haven’t run him since Orange because we just kept getting unsuitable surfaces, that’s the only reason he hasn’t had a run since.”
Nisbet believes there is more in store for the lightly-raced gelding, and is of the opinion that it will only benefit him long term by racing on more truer surfaces. His only outing on anything rated better than a Soft 5 proved that theory.
“He nearly broke the course record first time at the races at Wagga on a good track,” Nisbet said.
“He’s a beautiful horse but he’s a bit of a thinker. We thought if we keep sending him around on soft tracks he might end up not trying.”
Smuggler’s Bay is not the only horse in the stable for owners M F T Racing, who also race another with the Smuggler’s moniker, Smuggler’s Run. The four-year-old Wanted gelding has taken more time than his counterpart, but Nisbet is hopeful of better things to come.
“Smuggler’s Run was a funny horse, he looked like being no good at all early days so we spelled him and brought him back in,” Nisbet said.
“But last time in he won two out of four so he’s shown a bit of ability.
“They are both nice horses but Smuggler’s Bay is a bit more brilliant than him.”
Royal Randwick is currently rated a Good 4 for their Summer Cup meeting on Boxing Day this Sunday.