Super Smink Spot On For The Quokka Says Morton
Super Smink will have to reach a career peak to land a massive pay day at Ascot on Saturday, but trainer Dan Morton believes a key gear change will significantly aid her cause.
Super Smink will carry blinkers for the first time in the $5 million The Quokka (1200m) and Morton hopes a set of shades can give her the edge over her elite sprinting rivals.
“Chris (Parnham) has had it mind for a while that blinkers might assist her,” Morton told The Races WA.
“She’s worked in them in the last couple of days and the report back from Chris has been very good.
“So, we’re going to run in them and hopefully we can find an edge.”
Super Smink underlined her class as Western Australia’s best two-year-old by becoming the first juvenile to win the Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (1200m), Karrakatta Plate (1200m) and Sires’ Produce (1400m) Stakes.
As a three-year-old she won the Belgravia Stakes (1200m) first up and although she went winless for the remainder of her campaign she ran consecutive placings in the Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m), WA Guineas (1600m) and Starstruck Classic (1600m), her last-appearance in December.
Super Smink’s autumn campaign was delayed two weeks ago after she was scratched from the Roma Cup (1100m) due to an elevated temperature, but Morton says the daughter of Super One missed no work and she’s exactly where he wants her to be fitness wise ahead of The Quokka
“It was just a hiccup and honestly she could have run,” Morton told The Races WA.
“If that was my grand final I don’t give it a second thought, I run and she probably goes great.
“She’s got a real asset fresh and I didn’t want to take that away from her.
“She missed no work and is further advanced going into this than she was first up last prep.
“I feel and looking at her she is bang on.
“I’m comfortable where she’s at.”
In a field of 14, Super Smink has drawn the extreme outside gate with speed drawn to her inside.
Defending champion, Overpass jumps from barrier six and likely frontrunner, Oscar’s Fortune has gate three.
A wide drew hasn’t dented Morton’s confidence.
“If there is speed wide it can make it hard,” Morton said.
“If you had horses that were lesser chances around you it might be difficult, but you’ve got a bit of a supergroup, Amelia’s Jewel, Bella Nipotina, Wild Belle and us (Super Smink) literally drawn 11 to 14.
“I come away quietly happy to be honest.”
Super Smink will be joined in The Quokka by stable mate, Saloon Bar.
The four-year-old ran fourth in the Bluff Knoll (1099m) and finished a slashing second, beaten a short half-head, by Laced Up Heels three weeks ago.
“I reckon he’ll run out of his skin,” Morton said.
“We’ve got a lot of faith in the horse.
“If he wins that race the other day he’s not 100 to 1.
“If he wins by a nose he’s 20 to 1.
“In my mind he’ll run out of his skin.”
Saloon Bar starts The Quokka from barrier one and will be ridden by Rhys McLeod.
Tabtouch has Amelia’s Jewel the $3.30 Quokka favourite, ahead of Overpass at $5.
Super Smink is $31.
While Super Smink is at double figure odds, stable mate Bustling holds commanding $2.80 favouritism in the Group 2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m).
The Frosted gelding validated market lead after a dominant victory in the Perth Stakes (1100m) last start, his second win from three official visits to the races.
He was as much as $50 with Tabtouch in their all in market for the Karrakatta Plate before a winning debut in March.
His sole defeat came second-up after getting caught wide throughout when runner-up to Karrakatta Plate rival, Siren Assault.
Bustling has drawn the inside gate in the Karrakatta Plate and will have Blake Shinn as his riding partner.
“It’s the quickest way around,” Morton said about barrier one.
“He tends to motor himself in a position and will make use of the gate.
“He’s a very race-fit horse and it’s now keeping him to that level which we have.
“Saturday morning, he went to Belmont on the course proper and they don’t have to work any better than that.”
Julio Santarelli