Wood’s feeling Smug after making brave call – Mick On Monday

Smug jumped well on his way to winning the Hawkes Bay Steeplechase. Photo / Kenton Wright

One of the most unusual defeats in New Zealand racing history paved the way for Smug to upset superstar jumper West Coast in the Hawke’s Bay Steeples yesterday.

Smug was beaten in a maiden steeplechase at Trentham last start when his jockey took the wrong course heading into the home straight, causing him to be automatically disqualified – even though he beat his rivals home, just on the wrong side of the running rail.

That meant Smug was still officially a jumping maiden heading to Woodville yesterday but trainer Chris Wood saw opportunity in the bizarre defeat.

“He could have gone in the maiden steeple today but I said to the owners, look, he really is a race-winner now and we can go in the big one for a lot more money,” Wood told the Herald.

“So it worked out well and showed a lot of courage to hold off a champion.”

Smug looked certain to be worn down by West Coast as the giant jumper loomed up to him at the 600m mark but a combination of his huge 73kgs weight, a lack of recent steeplechase racing and Smug’s undoubted courage under pressure saw West Coast fall short.

But his second place suggests West Coast is on target for the $200,000 Grand National at Riccarton next month as he tries to become the first horse to win the iconic race four times.

Smug won’t be among those opposing him at Riccarton, with Woods suggesting he will look at a race closer to home in a fortnight before aiming him at the Great Northern at Te Aroha on September 21.

Far better known as a trainer of flat horses these days, Wood has had considerable success with jumpers in the past and he says with the discipline undergoing a resurgence, he is happy to have a jumper of Smug’s quality in the stable.

“And he is owned by great people. Ron Thompson [co-owner] has had a horse in work almost every month since he was 18 years old and I think he is 82 now,” Wood says.

“So to win a nice race for him and his wife Maryanne is real satisfying.”

The Hawkes Bay Hurdle went to Never Look Back for trainer Gail Templeton after market mover Happy Star looked the likely winner when striding to the lead at the 600m.

Topweight Berry The Cash ran on in great style to suggest like stablemate West Coast is will be ready for the Grand National meeting in three weeks.

Draw drama

Red-hot Inter Dominion favourite Leap To Fame has been handed the one draw his trainer Grant Dixon did not want for Saturday’s A$1 million final in Brisbane.

Leap To Fame has drawn barrier one, and while that would suit many horses, about the only string he doesn’t have to his bow is gate speed.

Initially trainer-driver Dixon was disappointed by the draw but after studying the front line, which doesn’t look super fast, he says he intends to try to hold the front.

Leap To Fame is $1.25 with the TAB to win the title that he also claimed at Albion Park in 2023.

Canterbury trotter Bet N Win will start second favourite in the A$500,000 Inter Dominion Trot Final after drawing barrier five, favouritism moving to Arcee Phoenix after the TAB Slot Trot winner drew the ace.

Oscar Bonavena misbehaved again in the second round of heats on Saturday night but still snuck into the final, however he but will start from the outside of the back row after being declared unruly.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.