Co-trainer Simon Zahra is hoping lightly raced Smart Coupe can step up again during her autumn campaign after snaring a stakes placing during a short spring preparation.
Smart Coupe is the $2.15 favourite to make a winning return in Saturday’s Blue Diamond Gala Dinner Plate (1100m) for three-year-old fillies at Caulfield.
“It was only a short spring preparation but we’re going to give her a nice autumn and the race on Saturday looks a nice race for her,” Zahra said.
Zahra believes Smart Coupe appreciates some give in the ground and hopes she doesn’t strike tracks too firm during the late summer and early autumn months.
“I thought her jump-out at Werribee (on January 15) was outstanding,” he said.
“There was a bit of give in the track and she really loved it.”
Winning her first two starts as a late-season two-year-old at Wangaratta and Sandown last winter, Smart Coupe was given a two-run spring campaign.
After finishing third to Sam’s Image and Nature Strip at Moonee Valley in October over 1000m, Smart Coupe again finished third in a Group Three 1100m sprint for fillies at Flemington, won by Jorda.
By Smart Missile out of Group Two winner Coupe, Smart Coupe was bought for $22,000 at the 2016 Tasmanian yearling sale.
Coupe won the 2002 Manifold Stakes for Mathew Ellerton, who now trains in partnership with Zahra.
“Our plan is to step her up to at least 1400 metres and maybe a mile,” Zahra said.
“I thought she showed in the spring that she just got run off her legs in that race at Flemington but I really loved the way she fought it out to run third.
“She’s got a black-type placing. We’d love to get a black-type win with her.”
