Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Star reinsman Gary Hall Jnr has a high opinion of four-year-old Mister Smartee, who outclassed his rivals in the 2130m Cowden Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He has a huge motor and a massive tank,” said Hall after Mister Smartee, the $1.10 favourite, had beaten $101 outsider Louie Lebeau by six lengths, rating 1.55.6.
Mister Smartee began from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line, and he settled down in last place in the field of eleven, ten lengths behind the early pacemaker Bettor Move Along. Louie Lebeau took over as the leader after 300m, while Hall switched Mister Smartee three wide after 700m. The New Zealand-bred four-year-old revealed sparkling speed to burst to the front 250m later.
“You never find the bottom of him,” said Hall. “You never know how much is left; every time you ask him for an effort there is always something there. He is very fast when he wants to be, and he has all the makings of a genuine Free-For-Aller.”
Mister Smartee, an early fancy for the rich Golden Nugget late this year, has won at seven of his nine starts for earnings of $96,463.