Wednesday double for Smart Missile

Smart Missile’s excellent Spring continued on Wednesday when he notched up a trans-Tasman double, courtesy of Cha Siu Bao in New Zealand and Missile Boom in Victoria.

These wins, both over 1400 metres, take Smart Missile’s tally of winners this month to six, and 12 for the first 45 days of the season.

Hermitage Thoroughbreds’ colt Cha Siu Bao was a three-and-a-half length winner at Te Rapa, Hamilton, a good effort against older rivals, including the placegetters, both 4YO mares receiving weight from him.

Watch Cha Siu Bao win at Te Rapa.

Andrew Scott, who prepares Cha Siu Bao with Lance O’Sullivan, indicated that the win was a pleasing first step towards the colt’s participation in November’s NZ 2000 Guineas G1. The colt was placed in both his starts last season and fourth at his 3YO debut last month.

A $425,000 purchase by Anton & Oliver Koolman from Widden’s Inglis Easter draft, Cha Siu Bao is the fourth winner out of the multiple Group winner Ballet Society (by Stravinsky), half-sister to Group 1 winner Cent Home.

Missile Boom’s winning margin at Pakenham was only a half-length, but it was a similarly impressive performance, given he came from the back of the field, picked up ground round the turn and drove home for a soft win.

Watch Missile Boom at Pakenham.

Like Cha Siu Bao, Missile Boom is the fourth winner of his dam Full Bloom (by Snippets), a three-quarter sister to the dam of Snitzel. He is a graduate of Cornerstone Stud’s consignment at the 2015 Inglis Premier Sale, where syndicator Rob Slade secured him for $70,000, and is trained by John McArdle.

With 10 Australian winners since 1 August, Smart Missile is one of three second season sires that have already broken through the $200,000 mark this season, and he comfortably leads the list by winners.