Sydney trainer Matthew Smith has been around the mark with his runners at the Melbourne Cup Carnival and will have one final chance on the final day at Flemington.
Three-year-old filly Aethelflaed finished fourth in the Wakeful Stakes (2000m) last Saturday before chasing home Zardozi in the VRC Oaks (2500m) on Thursday while True Marvel picked up a healthy cheque by finishing eighth in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) on Tuesday.
Buenos Noches is the galloper Smith is pinning his hopes in for a Carnival win when the four-year-old runs in the Champions Sprint (1200m) on Saturday.
Smith had to take Buenos Noches back to the jump-outs after the entire was a scratching from the Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 28.
“He went and had a jump-out at Flemington last Friday to get cleared,” Smith said.
“He got the all-clear there and he worked good on Tuesday, so we’ll give it a shot.
“He’s fit and well and hopefully doesn’t go and do something silly in the gates again.”
Smith said he had had around 700 starts last season without a scratching at the barriers and is mystified why Buenos Noches went off in the starting gates.
“He had never done anything like that previously and hopefully he never does so again,” Smith said.
“But for some reason that day he did, which is out of character for him, and we’ve had him back at the barriers a few times and he seems OK.”
Buenos Noches has shown form on the Flemington straight track previously.
He won the Poseidon Stakes (1100m) last year and was narrowly beaten by Giga Kick in the Danehill Stakes (1100m) before running third to In Secret and C’Est Magique in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.
Buenos Noches’ most recent straight track performance was when seventh in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) back in March.
The four-year-old had three runs in Sydney before coming to Melbourne, his most recent run being in The Everest at Randwick.
“Nothing went right,” Smith said.
“He got squeezed out and knocked down and was out the back, so you’re no hope from there, but his two runs before that were good and he’s got form around the right horses.
“He likes the straight as well.
“In Secret is a good gauge, and we’ve beaten her previously. We beat her in Sydney, fair and square, so fingers crossed.”
