Racing: Todd to keep training Willy Smith

Mark Todd

Mark Todd has decided to continue training last month's Wellington Cup winner Willy Smith.

The former champion equestrian rider retires from public training next month when he shifts from his Cambridge base to Rangiora.

He will retain just a couple of horses and has decided Willy Smith will be one of them.

The main reason is a possible tilt at the Melbourne Cup.

"It might be my one and only opportunity to have a horse in the Melbourne Cup so I think I would be crazy to throw it away," Todd told New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing.

Todd said Willy Smith had done well since his Trentham win and was likely to head to the group one $700,000 Auckland Cup at Ellerslie next month without another run.

- NZPA