By Glenn Davis
Former Victorian jockey Dale Smith landed his first Stakes race in his newly adopted State when Fit For Purpose claimed the Listed Tattersall’s Mile at Doomben on Saturday.
The Liam Birchley-trained Fit For Purpose, backing up seven days after running second at the Sunshine Coast, downed No Annamossity by 1-1/4 lengths in the 1600-metre feature.
Lordag was third, only a nose away.
Fit For Purpose’s win gave Birchley successive wins in the Tatt’s Mile after winning it last year with Crack Me Up.
Smith rode for 21 years in Victoria, 15 of which were extensively for trainer Mick Price, before relocating to try his luck in Brisbane.
He rode his first Queensland winner for Eagle Farm trainer Les Ross at the Gold Coast on June 30 before bringing up his sixth win aboard Fit For Purpose.
Smith has ridden over 600 winners in the past decade, finishing in the top 10 of the Victorian jockeys’ premiership in every one of those years.
Talented filly Winter Bride earned a southern spring campaign after continuing her great form for the Toby Edmonds stable in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Class Six Plate (1200m).
Winter Bride, ridden by James Orman, landed her fifth win in 10 starts for the stable including three from her past four outings when she downed Divine Messenger by 2-3/4 lengths.
Winter Bride is raced by Segenhoe Stud who have been long-time supporters of the Edmonds stable after originally being trained in Sydney by Peter Robl.
When she came to Queensland she had a reputation of being only a 1000-metre filly before blossoming under Edmonds.
“She was vulnerable last year over 1200 metres but she’s a lot stronger now,” Edmonds said.
“She’s had a really good preparation and she’ll be aimed for the Magic Millions fillies and mares race in January but first she’ll go south to either Sydney or Melbourne in the spring.
“There’s a suitable race for her at Newcastle on Cup day and another at Wyong or she can go to Melbourne for the How Now Stakes.”
Meanwhile talented Toowoomba sprinter Amanaat made an impressive comeback from serious injury to win the Open Handicap (1200m).
Amanaat was being aimed at the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Doomben in June 1 when he smashed his head and fractured his jaw in the barriers for the Listed Ascot Handicap at Doomben in April.
The four-year-old, who won the Listed Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba in April, produced a strong first-up performance to down the unlucky Tumbler by three-quarters of a length.
It was the ninth win from only 13 starts for the former Victorian sprinter who could have earned a trip to Melbourne for the spring.
Racing Queensland webnews July 21