Smerdon trio to tackle mares stakes race
Numbers-wise Robert Smerdon has the bases covered in a stakes race for mares at Caulfield.
Smerdon is the only trainer with multiple runners in the Group Three How Now Stakes on Saturday in which he saddles My Poppette, Atmospherical and Every Faith in the 1200m-sprint.
While Smerdon may have the numbers, early betting has Secret Agenda the $3.40 favourite ahead of Miss Promiscuity at $4.60.
Atmospherical is regarded Smerdon’s best hope at $8 from My Poppette at $11.
Every Faith is the rank outsider in the 11-horse field at $31 with Smerdon suggesting she will need more ground.
Smerdon is looking further into the spring with My Poppette who is having her second run back from a break after racing in Adelaide and Brisbane at her previous two starts.
She found the 1000m too short at a Sandown midweek meeting last month.
A winner in Group Two company over 1600m at Moonee Valley last spring, My Popette is being aimed at the Myer Classic at Flemington on October 29.
“She’ll head to Myer all things being equal,” Smerdon said.
“She’ll run in the 1400 metre lead-up races after Saturday, culminating hopefully in the Group One.”
While My Poppette has the credentials to step up in distance, Smerdon says Atmospherical will be kept to sprint races.
“She won’t stretch out as she’s just an out-and-out short-course horse,” he said.
Atmospherical is into her second preparation for Smerdon having joined his stable at the start of the year.
After grabbing third place on protest in the Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield in July, Atmospherical then finished sixth in the Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley last month.
Smerdon said he had a slight leaning to My Poppette over Atmospherical because she had a better draw.
“Both look well positioned in a race like that at set-weights and penalties,” he said.