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Smart Meteor chases first Stakes race

25 February 2022

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By Glenn Davis

Trainer Chris Munce has always had a soft spot for the under-rated Smart Meteor, and is hopeful the five-year-old can claim his first Stakes race at Doomben on Saturday.

Smart Meteor is an $8 chance in TAB markets for the Listed Tattersall’s Member’s Cup over 1600 metres and despite it being a non-claiming race, will again be ridden by apprentice Jayden Lloyd.

Lloyd has ridden Smart Meteor in five of his past six starts for two wins and three placings including his narrow win on a heavy track in the Shoot Out at Doomben on New Year's Day.

Smart Meteor has started only once since his Shoot Out victory when he produced another strong effort to finish second to the Chris Anderson-trained Profit in a 1600-metre Class 6 at Doomben on January 9.

“He’s racing really well this campaign and his last run behind Profit was very good,” Munce said.

Munce is unconcerned with a heavy track rating for Doomben after Smart Meteor relished similar conditions in his Shoot Out victory.

“He’s always been a good honest horse and always puts in,” Munce said.

“He’s had a trial and ran third since his last run but it was only over 1000 metres.

“I can’t see why he won’t be very competitive again with only 54.5kgs on his back.”

Munce is likely to pull up stumps with Smart Meteor after his Doomben assignment and is hoping to return for the TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.

“If he runs well, he’ll probably go for a freshen up after this and come back for some of the longer staying races like the Ipswich Cup towards the end of the winter,” he said.

Smart Meteor is still eligible for restricted class and has been hard to place since winning a three-year-old race at Doomben in 2019.

“He won a maiden at Toowoomba then won an open three-year-old race at Doomben at his next start before finishing a good fourth in the Grand Prix at his next start,” he said.

Smart Meteor was then aimed at the 2020 winter when he ran bravely in both the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate and Group 3 Gunsynd.

Munce is also hopeful stablemate Boomnova can return to her best form in the Class 3 Plate.

Like Smart Meteor, Boomnova has been racing consistently with three straight placings including a last start second at Doomben on February 12.

“If the track dries out a bit Boomnova will be very hard to beat,’ Munce said.