‘He won like someone shot him out of a gun': Smith backs fresh approach with World Alliance
World Alliance scorched past the Joe Pride-trained The Black Cloud over the final 100m of a 1100m benchmark 88 handicap on June 9 after being held up for a run.
Smith has saved the Rubick five-year-old for Saturday's 1200m test in the same grade, the eighth race, where Jason Collett rides from gate six.
The Warwick Farm trainer has placed World Alliance ($6.50) well in the past, landing six wins and five placings in 16 career starts. His only Saturday city win came at Randwick in August.
'We've just wanted to keep him fresh,' Smith said. 'He was kept fresh for that last run, and it just seems to be the key to him.
'He just goes good early in his prep and the longer prep you give him, he trains off, so we've gone the month between runs.
'He won like someone shot him out of a gun the other day at Canterbury, and he's going as good as he was going into that run, so I'm pretty happy with him.
'He likes it wet, a good gate and Jason Collett on, and he's won four on him.'
Smith also has a chance in the feature race, the listed Winter Stakes, with Astero. The seven-year-old was third last start behind Headley Grange and Welwal in the Civic Stakes at Randwick over the same distance.
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