3 minute read

When a galloper is moved through four trainers suspicion is rife, however, rejuvenated Smooth Esprit ($26 into $8.50 on TAB) has extenuating circumstances, maybe unprecedented into a TAB $100,000 Highway 1800m, on a tremendous day of Group racing at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Clint Lundholm's five-year-old gelding has been well-backed and is in focus following outstanding 1600m wins at Gunnedah and Dubbo and through the clout of three-time Melbourne Cup and The Everest treble winner, Kerrin McEvoy on 54kg.

On an outback property somewhere distant between Wilcannia and Walgett, Smooth Esprit was stranded by flooding from the Darling River and escalating from regions north.

"His owner Richard Jackson was training him but in the worst of it, couldn't get through his front gates and paddocks the water was so deep," explained Dubbo based Lundholm, a third-generation regional trainer.

"He sent him down here with the plan he'd go back home when conditions improved.

"But when he put two wins together, he left him here. He's going enormous.

"Richard thought he had the ability to maybe be a Country Championship's horse, but the move didn't meet the timing qualifications."

By dual Group I-winning sprinter Bel Esprit, Smooth Esprit defies his breeding by excelling with 1600m wins. Clint is confident he'll be just as effective at 1800m into a Class 3 on Saturday.

"Bred on sprinting lines but you do get exceptions. Going through his form he was getting a mile back and powering home, he wanted ground.

"When we put out to a 'mile' he bolted in. The 1800m is no concern the way he's been winning if he's up to the grade. We think he is at the weights.

"Ashley Morgan said after he won again at Dubbo, he was left in front far sooner than he wanted but kept finding. He'll make a country cup's horse the way he's progressed this prep."

This will be the gelding's final race before a spell.

"The timing of a Highway at this distance was ideal with the form he was in. Through the big Group carnivals and the Country Championships, there are no more Highway races for a while."

Also, if he stayed at the regionals he'd be a lot worse off with big weights.

Smooth Esprit despite jumping a grade is in well enough with 54kg after carrying 59kg at Dubbo and winning with something to spare.

Smooth Esprit, lightly raced with 10 starts, originally was trained by Les Tilley then Tim McIntosh, his owner Richard Jackson and finally to Lundholm.

Clint, a previous Highway winner, trains substantial numbers at Dubbo and is on track for his finest season yet with 54 winners over the past 12 months.