Robert Smerdon is edging closer to a record-breaking season.
Banneker’s win at Morphettville on Saturday was his 100th for the season and he followed up with a winning double at Flemington.
Smerdon saddled Lumosty to win The Straight Six and two races later Mr Utopia ($6) landed his second win from three starts for the stable in taking the VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Heat 1.
With 102 winners for the season, Smerdon is closing in on the 115 winners he prepared in 2011-12.
“I got the monkey off the back early over in Adelaide,” Smerdon said.
“Sometimes when they start talking about milestones you get the yips, but as soon as it hit the line I thought ‘that’s it’ and now we can go on.
“And it’s been a good day with the double here.”
With 70 horses in work at Caulfield and another 24 in pre-training at Ballarat, Smerdon said he’s had more runners than in other seasons but at the same time had more depth to his team.
With Lumosty Brisbane bound, Smerdon said Mr Utopia was likely to follow the Winter Championship series through to the 1600m final at Flemington in July.
Mr Utopia won first-up for Smerdon over 1200m at Flemington and backed up in the Wangoom Handicap at Warrnambool.
“Out to 1400 (metres) today suited him better and what I’m told is that he’s better at 1600 (metres) which is something to look forward to,” Smerdon said.
