Image Finds Form with Classy Ladies Day Win

Classy Cairns sprinter Smart Image catapulted back into Cleveland Bay Hcp favour after a brilliant weight carrying win at Cluden Park on Saturday.

Smart Image lumped 63kg to victory in the Ladbrokes Open Hcp (1200m) to put his carnival claims back on track after defeat from a wide draw in the Mackay Newmarket a fortnight ago.

Co-trainer Trevor Rowe, who prepares the five-year-old with his son Peter, said the win was the best possible reply to the critics.

“He’s a very, very good horse. A lot of people wrote him off after he got beaten in the Mackay Newmarket,” Rowe said.

“But he had a long time between runs, we had terrible weather at home and he missed a very important barrier trial.

“On top of that he drew a terrible barrier down there and worked his backside off. 

“Like 150m from home he was still in it. When we worked him at home a couple of days later young Kristen (Swaffer, stable apprentice) said if you ran this race tomorrow he’d win it.

“He’s just come on in leaps and bounds. That was a huge win today.”

Rowe is yet to confirm a rider for Smart Image in the Cleveland Bay after regular rider and premiership winning jockey Lacey Morrison opted for Yes Dream who was beaten for the first time at Cluden in Saturday’s race.

Ryan Wiggins was aboard on the weekend and is pushing to retain the ride.

“It’s a bit of a difficult position now because Lacey chose Yes Dream today and obviously Ryan now wants the ride on him,” Rowe said.

“I’ll just have to discuss it with his owner Cliff Little and work it out from there.”

Smart Image was dominant in his win on Saturday, controlling the race from the front and going on to win by a length from Media Empire with Full Recognition, also under the steadier of 63kg, rattling home to finish third.

Yes Dream, unbeaten in seven Cluden starts until the weekend, ran eighth after a wide run.

Rowe said he wasn’t concerned about the handicapper getting the better of Smart Image in the Cleveland Bay Hcp on August 12.

“If he’s got to carry 61kg that’s two less than what he carried today and you can’t win any better than he did.”

Pictured: Smart Image runs clear to win the Ladbrokes Open Hcp (1200m) on Explore Property Munro & Co Ladies Day.

See the racing calendar for upcoming race days.