Acres Away on trial for a return Brisbane trip

By Glenn Davis

Promising sprinter Acres Away could earn another Brisbane campaign if the three-year-old makes a successful return at Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park on Tuesday.

Acres Away, a winner of four of his six starts, steps out for the first time since the middle of August in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1050 metres. 

Acres Away’s main target next year is the QTIS Jewel for Three-Year-Old's at the Gold Coast in March but he could venture south earlier.

“His main aim is the QTIS Jewel in March but if he runs well then he could go down to Brisbane in a couple of weeks' time,” Smith said.

“It depends on what he shows us but there’s a couple of races that suit him.”

The 22-year-old Smith is the son of popular Rockhampton trainer Fred Smith and keeps a team of around 12 horses in work most times of the year.

Acres Away gave him his first metropolitan winner when the son of Top Echelon made his first trip south winning in three-year-old grade at Eagle Farm on August 5.

He was later spelled after finishing third to fellow Rockhampton sprinter In Evidence in another race for three-year-old's at Doomben on August 19.

“He only got beaten just over one length in his last run at Doomben and he had to give the first and second horses 4.5kgs,” Smith said.

“He ran second in a barrier trial earlier this month and was given an easy time early in the trial before he was shaken up to run to the line strongly.

“He’s come on heaps since then.”

While Acres Away isn’t eligible for the Magic Millions he can still gain a back door entry by winning one of the six wild card races on offer.

“We’ll have to see how he’s going at the time and what wild card races are available but he’d have to be racing really well,” Smith said.

Smith once had dreams of becoming a pilot but now concedes it won’t be part of his career as his stable is growing in numbers with a lot of two-year-old's coming through.

Acres Away was bred by Mitchell and Anna Power whose parents run a farm and breed quarter horse at Gogango, west of Rockhampton.

“They paid a $1,000 service fee for Top Echelon and put him to a mare (Hoywedge) which they own,” Smith said.

It’s been a valuable investment so far with Acres Away winning more than $154,000 in prize money.