a day ago
Trainer Matthew Smith plots feature race boilover with Astero in the 2025 Winter Stakes at Rosehill
Trainer Matt Smith is adamant Astero is going well enough to win Saturday's Listed $200,000 Winter Stakes (1400m) but concedes his consistent sprinter is going to need everything to go right at Rosehill Gardens.
Smith is preparing to chase a two-state stakes double with Millie De Lune ($4.40) set to chase a valuable black type victory in the Group 3 $300,000 Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast.
Astero ($26) is a knockout hope in Sydney where the son of Zoustar will be chasing a maiden stakes victory in partnership with jockey Andrew Adkins.
Smith believes Astero is more than capable of claiming a feature win and his seven-year-old wasn't far away last start when finishing 1-1/2 lengths off Headley Grange with a third in the Listed Civic Stakes.
An awkward draw in barrier 10 makes life tougher this time around.
'He just hasn't had much luck with the gates,' Smith said.
'You kind of need luck in these races.
'It's a fairly even field with not much between them. Headley Grange, which beat him the other day, has beaten him a couple of times but we still haven't had a decent run.
'He is still not getting beaten far and has the ability to win one of these races but just needs everything to go right like a few others in the field.
'He is going good but the barrier is just no help to him.'
Headley Grange adds the Listed Civic Stakes to his impressive record, and it's a Randwick treble to Jason Collett! 🙌 @PrideRacing @aus_turf_club
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025
Smith will have a strong hand at Rosehill Gardens with World Alliance ($5.50 favourite) is pole position to make it back-to-back victories in the Foundation Female Member Benchmark 88 (1200m).
World Alliance added to his fantastic winning record last start when scoring his sixth victory in 16 starts with a slashing success over 1100m at Canterbury.
Jockey Jason Collett will continue his association with the son of Rubick.
'He was bloody good last start and is going good too,' Smith said.
'I am really happy with him. His work has been great and he is going well.
'His weight is right. We have given him a month between runs and he is fresh and well.
'I think he will run very well again.'
Heavily-backed favourite World Alliance knuckles down late and records a strong win for @mcsmithracing with Jason Collett in the saddle ðŸ'°
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 10, 2024
• Clinton Payne's race-by-race tips, analysis for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday
Golden Straand is another Smith galloper in winning form.
The smart son of Snitzel is only lightly-raced as rising four-year-old with both of his starts coming this preparation.
Golden Straand faced greenly on debut when second at Wyong before keeping his find on the job for an emphatic maiden victory at Gosford.
He will get the chance to back up the win with Jay Ford aboard in the The Agency Real Estate Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m).
'He is a nice horse but starting racing a little bit later, he lacks a bit of racecraft and smarts in a race environment,' Smith said.
'I probably would have liked to find something easier for him but he will run there and is a nice horse, going well.
'He is doing some stupid things but it's probably just racecraft.
'He did it easier the other day but we saw what he did the other day when he ran all over the joint.
'I really like the horse and I think he will get there but you have to keep racing horses like him while they are fit and well.'
Anythink Goes ($23) is expected to run a bold race in the Asahi Super Dry Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m) after running a close second to in-form sprinter Thunderlips at Royal Randwick last start on June 7.
In Queensland, Millie De Lune is dropping back in trip in pursuit of valuable black type following her fast-finishing fourth over 1800m at Royal Randwick last month.
