Matthew Smith is hoping to catch some big-name sprinters off guard with speedy gelding Way To The Stars, who is set to have his first attempt at Group 1 level in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
A last-start winner of the Listed Century Stakes (1000m) over the course and distance, Smith was buoyed by a dominant recent trial win and said that Way To The Stars’ first-up record of four wins from five starts is also worth noting.
“Horse looks great, work’s been good, I’m really happy with him, I think he’s going to come down and have a crack at the Lightning,” Smith said.
“I don’t know what’s going there, but I’m sure it’ll be a good field, always is. You never know. Some of the others aren’t quite ready yet, but we might give it a shake. He’s going well, though. The horse is going great, he looks well, I’m really happy with him.”
A third placing to I Am Me and Bella Nipotina in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) last preparation suggested Way To The Stars could be competitive in the right scenario against elite opposition.
“He just got caught in that 1,000-metre race. He’s a good horse who goes out and makes his own luck. With a horse like him, you just never know,” Smith said.”That was probably a career peak, that run. It was a very, very good run. I mean, if he produced that race, well, he won’t be too far from them.”
“He might be able to get a couple of easy sectionals if they’re first up, a lot of those horses. He can pinch a decent race for sure.”
While Smith concedes weight-for-age at Group 1 level could well be beyond Way To The Stars, the Warwick Farm based trainer said it would give him a good guide to the rest of the preparation, which could see him return to Sydney for the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) and Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m).
