Smuggling makes it back-to-back wins in the Pioneer Sprint

With a withering burst in the final 200m, Smuggling made it back to back wins on Sunday at Pioneer Park in the $100,000 Alice Springs Toyota Pioneer Sprint (1200m).

In a breath-taking performance, the nine-year-old gelding from the Phil Cole stable in Darwin proved far too good against quality opposition to win by three and a half lengths.

It was also a second straight win in the race for Victorian-based jockey Jason Maskiell.

Starting at $18 with Betfair, Smuggling hadn’t won a race since his Red Centre triumph 12 months ago.

To be fair, he headed back to Darwin after the Pioneer Sprint win to finish second behind The Captain at a WFA level (1200m) before running second behind Mayameen in the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint (1200m).

It was Smuggling’s 50th career appearance – which started in June 2017 – in the Alice Springs Turf Club’s premier sprinting event for 2020.

“He has only ever been lightly raced,” Cole said.

His victory in the Red Centre last year saw Smuggling’s rating increase which saw him carry the big weights in the Top End and in Broome after the Darwin Cup Carnival.

After just five starts in Darwin and one start in Broome, Smuggling resumed racing at the start of the year with three runs in Adelaide.

“After winning the Pioneer Sprint last year his rating went really high,” Cole said.

“He was lumping 64.5kg around in Darwin and 65kg when he went to Broome.

“He went to Adelaide and had a few runs on the grass.

“Last year in the Sprint he carried 60kg – this year he gets it in with 55.5kg.

“That makes a big difference.”

For the record, Smuggling carried 56kg on Sunday.

The Gary Clarke-trained The Captain (Jarrod Todd), an outstanding NT sprinter in his own right, set a cracking pace when they jumped and the sweepers were always going to make an impact when it really mattered.

Smuggling’s stablemate Exact Replica (Wayne Davis), Kerry Petrick’s Our Luca (Casey Hunter), Tayarn Halter’s Eastwood (Paul Shiers) and Trevor Montgomerie’s Tanner (Sonja Wiseman), who was aiming for four straight wins, kept The Captain on his toes.

Eastwood ($8.50), yet another marvelous NT sprinter, clicked into gear to hit the front in the home straight and there were signs that trainer Tayarn Halter was going to celebrate her birthday in style.

The eight-year-old gelding, who had a win under his belt in Darwin over 1200m before a last start second in Alice Springs over 1000m, was in great shape at the 200m before Smuggling swooped.

Maskiell, who didn’t get to ride in his only other race when his mount refused to enter the gates preceding the Pioneer Sprint, stood punching the air with his whip aloft has he crossed the line.

Our Luca ($14) held on for third after a last start failure, while Tanner ($7.50) wasn’t far away in fourth place with $2.80 favourite with the top online bookmakers Solar Gale (Blaike McDougall) – from the Michael Hickmott stable in Murray Bridge – coming fifth ahead of The Captain ($20).

Going into the race Smuggling had a rating of 82 and Eastwood was 90, so the cream definitely raised to the surface despite being neglected by the punters.

Smuggling won the 2021 Pioneer Sprint by a length and a half.

“Last year he seemed to be a little bit closer, but Jason has had three rides on this horse now for two Sprint wins here in Alice Springs and he ran third in the Palmerston on him last year,” Cole said.

“Jason is a very good jockey and I leave it up to them on race day.”

Cole, who is starting to make serious waves as a trainer, was clearly chuffed with the win and was surprisingly confident going in the race.

“Good old boy. He just knows when it’s game day and he turns up,” he said.

“I was quite happy with his first run back on the dirt after racing on the grass.

“That day he travelled really well, and just when the tempo changed he relaxed – he probably knew that he was back on the dirt.

“He was always going to perform today.

“He is definitely a dirt horse – he loves racing on the dirt.”

Cole can now focus on another Palmerston Sprint campaign back in Darwin with Smuggling.

“He has been unlucky in the past. Hopefully he’ll win this year,” Cole said.

“It will be a great feat winning the two major sprints in the same year.”


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