Latest news with #Matt Smith
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Newcastle preview: All eyes on Matt Smith's progressive import Inncourt
Lightly-raced import Inncourt is far from the complete package but trainer Matt Smith is confident he's got a nice horse in the making as he heads to Newcastle on Thursday. Inncourt has just entered his five-year-old season by Australian standards and has been restricted to just two starts with one run in each hemisphere. The Irish-bred galloper finished midfield in a race at Leopardstown last year before joining Smith's team at Warwick Farm last spring. It took a further eight months to see Inncourt at the races following his first Australian trial last October but the gelding was well worth the wait, breaking his maiden over 1200m at Wyong in June. 'He is still a bit of work in progress and racing a bit upside down and that's why we ran him in a 1200m first-up because he was going hard,' Smith said. 'Jason (Collett) thought 1400m would suit him better but is still doing things wrong. 'He is still a nice horse in the making when he gets confidence and racing under his belt. 'He is just not straight forward at the moment and gets himself a bit wound up.' Smith has been force to take his time to bring Inncourt back to the races with the gelding a touch over two months between runs in the Master Builders Insurance Broker Class 1 (1400m). The gap between runs wasn't by design. 'He just wasn't right and had a couple of weeks where he was a bit off in his work but we couldn't put our finger on it,' he said. 'It might have been a little virus but it didn't seem to be much so we just wanted to make sure he was 100% and air on the side of caution.' A race to race double for @AshMorgan6 with 4yo Inncourt storming down the outside to claim the 1200m 4YO & Up Maiden. Trained by @mcsmithracing, the Inns Of Court import breaking through at his 1st Australian start. Congrats ðŸ'�ðŸ'� #winners — Wyong Race Club (@WyongRaceClub) June 8, 2025 • A tick-over trial over 1200m where he finished alongside talented import Birdman has Inncourt primed for a big return to the races. He is expected to relish the step up in trip and the wider surrounds of Newcastle racecourse with Ash Morgan aboard. Inncourt is a $4.40 chance to win again. 'Newcastle should suit him,' Smith said. 'He is going good and has a good gate. 'I am happy with him, he just needs a bit of racing.' Stablemates Icon Dream ($11) and Septimus ($21) line up together in the Custom Built Projects Class 1 & Maiden (1880m). Icon Dream didn't beat a runner home first-up at the mile but Smith believes she will take plenty of benefit from the run while Septimus is stepping up over a more preferable trip at his third career start. 'Icon Dream wasn't too bad first-up,' Smith said. 'I think she will improve and Septimus will improve too because he wasn't terrible at Gosford, he was just green. 'He will probably go forward and make his own luck and she will be somewhere right behind him I think. 'She has been promising to win one and the owners have been pretty patient but she is only second-up and will be better with another run under the belt.' Lady Memphis is yet to place in four starts this preparation but Smith is confident the mare is going better than that form suggests. The daughter of Invader gets the chance to bounce back in the All Steel Sheds Benchmark 64 Handicap (1250m) with Louise Day aboard. 'We will try and be handy on Lady Memphis,' Smith said. 'This race there are a couple there that go all right but will win some races. 'It was a bit of a mess the other day, she jumped good and was wide and went back but she was good the start before. 'Her runs have been OK and I think she won't be far away on Thursday.' â– â– â– â– â– Vigouroux has big expectations for Four Pillars hope Trainer Philippe Vigouroux can start plotting a course towards the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway if Unreal Expectation can complete a sensational winning hat-trick at Newcastle on Thursday. Unreal Expectation can cap off a memorable debut racing preparation when he hunts his third win at just his fifth start in the Buildcert Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m). The son of Under The Louvre is yet to miss the placings and has put together back-to-back victories in the NSW Central West at Bathurst and Forbes. Vigouroux, who trains alongside his wife Tara, plans to send Unreal Expectation for a short break after his provincial debut with big plans in mind. 'I know I have to look up all the time and I do get a bit excited but he could be a horse for the Four Pillars,' he said. 'If we can build up his Benchmark, why not? 'We had Lemaire finish third (in 2022) with Willie Pike on board when he was stuck on the fence and he said 'if I got out when I wanted, I just win'. 'He was an emergency and we were lucky to get a run but we have to dream a little bit.' The Four Pillars, set down for November 1, is raced as a Benchmark 68 under handicap conditions. Unreal Expectation has a rating of 59 heading into his latest assignment and would do his chances of making the Four Pillars a considerable boost with victory. Vigouroux believes he hasn't put a foot wrong this prep. 'He has had four runs this preparation and four very good runs,' he said. 'His two wins came with decent times. The race at Bathurst was run accordingly at Bathurst and the track was heavy at Forbes. 'He has kept improving. His work earlier this week was really good.' Unreal Expectation is a $5.50 chance with Chad Lever set to continue his association with the gelding. Team Vigouroux will kick off the day with the lightly-raced Torpedo Ted ($26) in the Custom Built Projects Class 1 & Maiden (1880m). Torpedo Ted is still a work in progress, according to Vigouroux. 'He will be a decent horse in six months' time,' he said. 'He is by Adelaide so he is going to need a bit more time so we will see what happens. 'We won't get too excited with him yet but his time will come, he's a lovely horse.'
ABC News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Lessons from South Korea's security dilemma
South Korea is a test case in how to maintain democracy against sustained pressure from dictatorship. The innovative and entrepreneurial country lives in the shadow of China and Russia, and its capital Seoul lies only 50km from the North Korean border. It hasn't been easy, but the difficulties South Korea faces and the way it deals with them could prove invaluable for other regional neighbours in responding to future economic and military aggression. Journalist Matt Smith has this special report… Guests Dr Troy Lee Brown — Research Fellow, Defense and Security Institute, University of Western Australia Professor Bec Strating — Director, La Trobe Asia and Professor of International Relations at La Trobe University Dr Mike Bosack — Special Advisor for Government Relations, Yokosuka Council for Asia-Pacific Studies Dongkeun Lee — Policy Fellow, Asia-Pacific Leadership Network Dr Duyeon Kim — Adjunct Senior Fellow, Indo-Pacific Security Program, Centre for New American Security
