Early shoppers are sometimes rewarded with the coveted over the odds successes and although he admits to not usually partaking in the punt, Lindsey Smith believes that Yellow Sam may be in that category on Launceston Cup Day on Wednesday.
Smith has targeted the Tasmanian Summer Carnival with Yellow Sam and Kaliuwaa Falls – who won again at Launceston on Sunday – with the former set to take her place in the Group 3 Vamos Stakes (1400m).
Opening markets for the midweek card have Yellow Sam as the $4.20 favourite with the Imogen Miller-trained Alvarinho at $4.40.
For Smith, who broke from his usual practice of punting caution when taking the early $6.50 on offer for Kaliuwaa Falls before his latest win, he just might be tempted again with Yellow Sam.
Kaliuwaa Falls started at $3.30.
The four-year-old mare was purchased by Smith for $10,000 at the Melbourne Gold Yearling Sale on 2021 and has since collected $270,000 in prizemoney.
A narrow victory last start in the Group 3 Mystic Journey Stakes (1200m) at Hobart with Fred Kersley aboard sees the pair reuniting again.
“I came down before the last race and rode her and she felt good and this is a good race for her,” Smith said.
Steering away from higher rated mares in Melbourne, Smith adds that the Tasmanian tracks with a bit more give in the ground than he would find closer to home is benefitting his mare.
“The hard track first-up at Moonee Valley, she didn’t recover from that, so I spotted these races and I’ve become accustomed to Tasmania, and I quite like it,” he added.
“When I saw the $6.50 for Kaliuwaa Falls, I thought he must have lost a leg.
“I don’t gamble but when he was at the price, even I had something on that.
“They both like the beach and the open paddocks though and she’s gone forward.
“She’s not a bad horse and they’d have to win a Group 3 in Melbourne to beat her.”
