Four stakes performers for Smart Missile

Thanks to a pair of South Australian farms, Smart Missile now boasts four stakes performers from his first crop of juveniles – more than Not A Single Doubt & Snitzel managed between them at the same stage of their careers.

The Phillip Stokes-trained filly Smart Manoeuvre can be counted unlucky not to be a Group winner after putting up a valiant effort in Saturday’s  $120,000 SAJC Sires’ Produce S. 1400m G3 at Morphettville. 

Despite getting back early and coming wide around the turn, she was still able to launch a big finish that brought her within centimetres of the victory claimed by a resolute Flying Jess, with 1.4 lengths back to third-placed Morvada. Smart Manoeuvre’s sectional times, 34.45, 22.27 and 11.25 were the best of the race.

Watch Smart Manoeuvre’s 2nd in the SAJC Sires’ Produce S. G3.

It was Smart Manoeuvre’s second black type performance following another late-burst third in the SAJC Breeders’ S. G3 on 16 April, and her fourth weigh-in appearance in four starts.

Raced by a partnership including her breeders Mill Park Stud, Mills Breeding & Wayne Raven, Smart Manoeuvre is the first foal of stakes-placed city winner Furline (by Tale of the Cat), a daughter of two-time Group 2 winner Umaline, from the family of Group 1 winner Captain Sonador.

Mill Park also bred last Saturday’s impressive debut 2YO stakeswinner Modern Wonder (by Snitzel) whose stablemate, another daughter of Smart Missile, Fromparis Withlove finished third in the $120,000 MRC Redoute’s Choice S. 1200m LR at Caulfield.

After settling a little worse than midfield, Fromparis Withlove showed plenty of verve at the business end of the race, finishing just under two lengths from the winner Oregon’s Day.

Watch Fromparis Withlove’s 3rd in the MRC Redoute’s Choice S. LR.

Noting on Twitter that a scope had revealed a clod of dirt the filly had swallowed during the race, co-trainer Troy Corstens added, “Look forward to the Spring!”

Fromparis Withlove was bred by Kambula Stud, from the stakes-winning mare Umaquest, a daughter of Umatilla, who also features as the second dam-sire of Smart Manoeuvre.

Purchased by Malua Racing and Bahen Bloodstock for $140,000 from the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, Fromparis Withlove is her dam’s second stakes performer in the past fortnight. Her half-sister Yattarna won the ATC James H.B. Carr S. G3 on 16 April. Umaquest has a weanling filly by Written Tycoon catalogued for the Magic Millions National Sale, and is in foal to Not A Single Doubt.

Smart Manoeuvre and Fromparis Withlove join Sassy ‘N’ Smart (CJC Welcome S. LR and 2nd, Matamata Breeders’ S. G2) & Smart Amelia (2nd, ATC Widden S. G3) to give Smart Missile a quartet of first-crop 2YO stakes performers – so far.  (At the same stage of their careers Not A Single Doubt and Snitzel each had one stakes performer, Regal Flame & Chance Bye.)