Robert Smerdon boasts an impressive strike-rate in Sydney
Melbourne trainer Robert Smerdon has not brought many horses to Sydney this year but can boast an impressive strike-rate.
He is hoping to keep it intact with Reldas who runs in Saturday’s July Sprint at Randwick.
Property won the Group Three Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) on April 1 while Grand Dreamer was also triumphant in his only start of the Randwick autumn carnival three weeks later.
Smerdon said there were few suitable options in Melbourne for six-year-old Reldas, a Listed winner at Moonee Valley in March.
“His rating (95) makes him difficult to place in racing this time of year,” Smerdon said.
“Last week in Melbourne there was a weight-for-age race and there’s another one next week but he falls short of those horses. He’s only a third level horse.
“There’s a Benchmark 90 at Flemington (tomorrow) but he gets 63 kilos there, so it’s about finding that option that fits him best.”
Smerdon picked out the July Sprint (1100m) several weeks ago and although Reldas was a disappointing last-start seventh at Moonee Valley on June 17, he forged on with the road trip.
“He probably should be racing in a different time of year, but here we are,” he said.
“We don’t tend to head to Sydney too much. It’s probably a tougher racing environment but the race seems to be a reasonable option for him.”
Reldas was the TAB’s $4.60 second favourite behind the Kris Lees-trained Felines ($3.40) on Friday.
