SMERDON AND HALL COMBINATION AGAIN TO THE FORE

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The combination of trainer Robert Smerdon and jockey Nicholas Hall is really travelling well and the duo landed a double at Caulfield on Saturday.

The stable kicked off the meeting by winning with the New Zealand bred gelding Makeadreamcometrue. The five-year-old was scoring a double of his own, having won ten days prior to this outing, when coming home a comfortable winner over 1600m at Sandown. He tackled the same distance here, and was equally as effective, even if his winning margin was a lot closer this time around.

Makeadreamcometrue, who started a clear favourite, settled fourth in the six horse field as Miss Badoura went four lengths clear at the head of affairs. The pace became muddling mid-term and then quickened off the turn.

Count To Zero was the first to tackle the front-runner and Makeadreamcometrue went with that one and moved up to dispute the lead halfway up the straight. As Miss Badoura weakened and dropped away, Count To Zero kept fighting on but it soon became apparent that Makeadreamcometrue had that one covered and he only had to be pushed out with the hands to go on land his fifth career success.

Count To Zero’s effort was enough to take second placing. Pacino, who came from the rear of the field approaching the turn, ran on into third spot without ever troubling the winner.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Smerdon: “He’s a horse who has shown in the past he can stretch out to 2000m. He is as effective or maybe even a bit more effective on a soft track. Nick (Moraitis) is a great stable client. He’s a bit ordinary at the minute. He’s had some surgery. He’s sitting at home. I think that result will work as a pain-killer, better than what the doctors are giving him anyway. We’ll just keep the horse going through the winter ... maybe a little bit longer. The soft tracks will play into his hands too.”

Apprentice jockey Nicholas Hall: “He is one of my favourite horses at Robert’s (Smerdon) since he’s been there. He so relaxed and does everything so right, he is going to be stronger and better over further.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Makeadreamcometrue):
2.00 out to 2.30 in to 2.10.
The winner was the favourite.

Smerdon and Hall completed the double when the smart Driffield Gold made it four wins from five starts since relocating to the Smerdon stable. Hall has yet to lose on the horse and the gelding’s only defeat during this time came by the narrowest of margins.

Driffield Gold raced alone in third place early on, tracking the two leaders while keeping a gap between himself and the pack of four runners behind him. Hall did no more than ask Driffield Gold to hold his position until the turn.

Once there, Driffield Gold set about reeling in the leaders. There was no spectacular acceleration. Rather Driffield Gold took time to get to get to the lead and when he did, just inside the 200m mark, he had no rest as Moment in Time put in a belated challenge to keep the result alive until the final strides.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Smerdon: “Yeah, he’s been a real revelation. He’s come out of nowhere from our perspective, so it’s been good. When we got him, looking at his history we thought sort of wet tracks, a mile-and-a-half would be where he was best placed. In casual track-work he didn’t give us much of a clue at home and he went to Cranbourne with us, basically so we could see how he goes. He was terrific there and he’s just gone on from strength to strength since.

"Today, I thought he had them covered turning. That second horse (Moment In Time – who competed in Group 2 and Group 3 company in Adelaide in her previous two starts) is a good horse, like it is a proper racehorse. I think the other thing is, he does go a mile-and-a-half ... and we are riding him to suit the speed of his races. When he gets into a more truly run race with a bit of cut in the ground over further he is going to be just as effective, maybe even more so.”

Apprentice jockey Nicolas Hall (who has won four from four on Driffield Gold): “He does everything right. He has been very competitive since Robert (Smerdon) has had him. He has really got him switched on. He always travels, works into his races and is able to find that kick when we really need it. The horse is very versatile. You can ride him as you please. With good speed, I was able to track up and really have the last crack at them, instead of being a little bit vulnerable like last time. But he was too good anyway.

“He just felt the pinch a little bit near the line. They ran along a bit quicker today. That made him just a little bit weaker towards the final stages, so you’d think he’s probably at about his right distance. It wouldn’t surprise me if Robert tips him out now and brings him back for some of the better races.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Driffield Gold): 2.10 out to 2-00 in to 2.05.
The winner was the favourite.