A stable favourite will be a welcome addition to trainer Matthew Smith’s spring team with Group One winner Hurtle Myrtle to continue her racing career.
Hurtle Myrtle’s future on the racetrack was uncertain after she was sold for $400,000 to Segenhoe Stud during last month’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
However, Segenhoe racing manager Bill Mitchell confirmed the four-time winner was set to return to training.
“She is just about to go into work for another campaign with Matthew Smith,” Mitchell said.
“She’s only five so there’s plenty of time to have her as a broodmare.”
Segenhoe has been at the forefront of major Australian racemare and broodmare purchases over the past 12 months.
Other high profile buys include Sister Madly, a half-sister to Hong Kong star Silent Witness. She carried Segenhoe’s colours to victory in last year’s Group Two Salinger Stakes.
Hurtle Myrtle gave Smith his first Group One win in last year’s Myer Classic and Mitchell said the Flemington weight-for-age race for fillies and mares was an obvious spring target.
“She’ll probably go for the Myer again but we might see if we can get her out to 2000 metres in a race like the Mannerism Stakes,” he said.
Smith is assembling a team he believes will be strong enough to race through an extended Melbourne spring.
In Combat Kitty, Smith believes he could easily have another Myer candidate.
Combat Kitty went amiss while she was being set for the Magic Millions Guineas but she underlined her potential with a Listed race win at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day last year.
“She’ll win a good race,” Smith said. “She’s very smart and we haven’t seen the best of her yet.”
Smith, meanwhile, will target an Inglis bonus race during next month’s Grafton carnival with Saturday’s Warwick Farm placegetter Zin Zan Eddie.
Zin Zan Eddie made an eye-catching debut when he came from last to finish third to Secret Delight and Headless.
AAP TURF
