Ben Smith is envisaging another Group One success with El Dorado Dreaming as the anguish of In Her Time’s TJ Smith Stakes run subsides.
Smith said the two-year-old filly pulled up well after her giant-killing run in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick on April 7, when the $81 chance pipped Golden Slipper runner-up Oohood.
The Newcastle trainer says El Dorado Dreaming will line up in Saturday’s Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick providing her blood picture is good and she works well on Tuesday.
“She’s super, really well. I spoke to the owner (Yvette Pearce) and she’s happy, all going well,” Smith said.
While punters were caught off guard by El Dorado Dreaming’s step up from a second in a Newcastle maiden seven days before the Sires’, Smith always thought she was capable.
“It had been a bit disappointing the way she had been working at home and not sort of transferring it to a race. The penny hadn’t dropped but it did in the Sires’,” he said.
“We’ve been waiting a while for her to deliver a good run. It was good to see her let down and show us what she can do.”
While El Dorado Dreaming exceeded expectations, Smith is still ruing In Her Time’s third in the Group One TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) on the same day.
Damian Lane was a late replacement for an injured Corey Brown and the Melbourne-based jockey let In Her Time settle too far back before she struck traffic in the straight.
Lane, who rode El Dorado Dreaming, admitted he had erred on In Her Time as the field jumped away.
She ultimately flashed home from last at the 400m to claim third behind Trapeze Artist and Redzel.
“I’m going to have nightmares for a little while yet about that,” Smith said.
“Under the circumstances, it showed us she is in career best form. I’ve got to look forward and look to getting her back in the winners’ circle.”
Smith said the Group One Doomben 10,000 (1200m) on May 12 was next on her agenda as she builds towards securing a start in the second edition of The Everest in October.
