SMYTZER ON THE SCOREBOARD FOR DAVID VANDYKE

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, September 28, 2022

The four-year-old I Am Invincible gelding Smytzer scored his first victory since transferring to the David Vandyke stable when he saluted in a Class 1 Plate over 1600m at the Sunshine Coast on September 28.

Smytzer won on debut for trainer Peter Moody back on April 23, 2021, but he failed to add to his winning total in his next seven starts between August 2021 and June 2022, after which it was decided that the horse would be transferred to the Vandyke stable.

The first three runs for David Vandyke resulted in a sixth place finish and two runner-up results with the astute trainer gradually increasing the distance test each time … from 1200m to 1350m to 1500m … before taking it to 1600m for this latest assignment.

Ryan Maloney went looking for the lead on Smytzer (the $2.80 second favourite) from the break, but he did so in a measured manner so that when he did take control of the race from the front after the field had travelled 300m, he had got there in a comfortable fashion.

Although his twelve opponents were well spread out behind Smytzer, to the tune of some fourteen lengths as the Vandyke runner took the field down the back stretch and in to sweep to the home turn, that measured gallop was still very much in play.

That allowed Smytzer to have something in reserve to call on, if needed, in the home straight, and, when Carneros ($6) attempted to apply serious pressure on Smytzer early in the run home, Maloney and Smytzer puts those reserves to good use, pulling away from his nearest rival with some aplomb, to score, easing up, by 1.80 lengths, under a largely hands and heels ride.

Smytzer’s overall race record now stands at two wins and three second places from twelve starts.