WEONA SMARTONE IMPRESSES ON HIS RETURN AS HE MAKES IT NINE WINS FROM ELEVEN STARTS

By Graham Potter | Sunday, September 11, 2022

It has been a big week for David Vandyke racing.

The winning return of Amity Gal at Eagle Farm on Wednesday September 7 was followed another notable success when Weona Smartone saluted at Doomben on Saturday September 10.

These were not just another two wins on the scoreboard, but were significant results given the promise shown by these two runners, and to have them resume in winning form after lengthy layoffs (Amity Gal was back after a five month break while Weona Smartone had been away from race action for seven-and-a-half months) was a feather in the cap of the asute trainer.

Weona Smartone has already had a glittering career. She was defeated on debut and was beaten in her last start prior to being rested, but between those two results the son of Shamexpress put together a winning sequence of no less than eight straight victories to put himself firmly on the map.

Weona Samrtone did trial well going into his latest assignment, an Open 1110m contest, but, possibly with the long layoff in mind, the six-year-old was still relatively easy to back as the second favourite at $4.40. (Legal Esprit topped the betting boards at $4 in what was essentially an open-betting race).

Kyle Wilson-Taylor jumped Weona Smartone out well from barrier two and he immediately went forward to lead.

When a couple of runners tried to put the speed on outside Weona Smartone and come around the Vandyke trained runner, Wilson-Taylor was having none of that and he continued to kicked Weona Smartone up along the inside, making sure hie maintained the rail run while ensuring he had a clear run in front of him.

Weona Smartone led on straightening and set sail for home, but there were still challenges aplenty lining up on his heels, notably Greyworm ($21), who posed the initial threat with a bold run along the inside, and Mass Destruction ($4.80), who unleashed a huge run down the centre of the track, coming from over eight lengths back.

Weona Smartone had to be strong to the line to cope with the pressure … and he was … fighting off Greyworm and then finding enough late to see off the flying Mass Destruction by 0.20 lengths for what really was a big win.

That’s nine wins from eleven starts now for Weona Smartone with a healthy $253 400 banked in prize-money.

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