Brian J Smith eyes the finish line on his own terms

By Jordan Gerrans

Approaching his last days as a racehorse trainer after a lifetime within the industry, the revered Brian J Smith is still true to his roots as an out-and-out horseman. 

While many trainers these days rely on data and technology to understand how well their horse is travelling ahead of their upcoming assignments, the man widely known as ‘BJ’ trusts his own two eyes. 

Trainers in 2025 can tell you a horse's heart rate during their work or what their stride length was, among other fascinating facts about their preparation. 

They didn’t have those fancy options when Smith – who in his early 80s - started training all those decades ago. 

Regarded as one of the most popular and charismatic trainers at Eagle Farm, Smith is set to retire from the game at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. 

“I have always trained with a gut feeling,” he said.

“I never really work out what I am going to do with a horse until I see them walk around before their work and go from there.

“There is nothing against the big stables who use the technology these days because they do fantastically well.

“But, I have always had reasonably small teams and been lucky enough to get some lovely horses along the way.

“I have a love of the horse and the desire to have them fit and healthy on race day.”

The racing industry has taken Smith around the globe, travelling horses to Asia, North America and Europe before settling in the Sunshine State in recent years.

The recently retired Larry Cassidy backed Smith’s judgement throughout his lengthy career and was a rider he would book on a regular basis. 

"The simplest way I can put it is - I think BJ is an absolute genius with horses," Cassidy said a couple of years ago.

"I’ve seen him do things with horses in the way he gets them ready that I don’t think other people can do, to be honest.

“He has a different way of training them and I really love the way he does that.”

It all started in New Zealand as a jockey for Smith before he went into training his own team.

The Group 1-winning mentor boasted many classy gallopers in his stable across his decades in the sport including the likes of Balmerino, Circles Of Gold and Bikkie Tin Blues, among others. 

Balmerino put Smith’s name up in the greatest lights of his career as the stallion raced extensively across the globe before being inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in Australia and New Zealand.

In the 1970s when Balmerino raced against the greatest gallopers on the planet at the time, Smith trusted his eye and he is doing the same until he finishes up.

Just this week he stood at Eagle Farm and clocked a galloper that jockey Boris Thornton was working for him.

While Smith’s stable numbers and quality do not have him competing at the highest level anymore, he still feels as sharp as he did in his heyday.

“I am still thinking as good as ever and I can still see what I could see in the old days,” he said.

In his last few months of training, Smith prepares three of his own horses while also using his Brisbane stables as somewhat of a Queensland Racing Carnival ‘hotel’ for visiting gallopers.

He is looking after high-level runners for Richard and Will Freedman at the moment and has taken on horses for the Rowe stable in Cairns in years gone by, as well as other trainers from around the place. 

Smith most certainly got a kick out of Piraeus getting the chocolates in the opening event from Eagle Farm last Saturday for the Freedman co-training team in a Class 3 Plate over a mile. 

“I keep my interests up with Richard and Will Freedman from Sydney who send up some nice horses for the carnival,” the veteran horseman said.

“We had a winner for them on Saturday and we look forward to doing well for them over the carnival. They are lovely people. They have nice horses.

“As a trainer, you always want to have your eyes on nice horses, that is what it is all about.

“I like to help people when they ask me questions about racing, other trainers and so forth.”

The Freedman and Smith team head to Aquis Park at the Gold Coast with three chances this Saturday as the carnival rolls along. 

Zoubaby and Duck Egg Blue are accepted in the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas while Pleasure Artist will contest the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet. 

Top jockey Tommy Berry has been booked for Zoubaby and Pleasure Artist. 

The Smith stable were last in the winner’s enclosure when the Kiwi-bred Texas landed the prize at the Gold Coast in late November of last year.

The charming conditioner is hopeful of picking up another winner or two before his time in the caper officially comes to a close with gallopers such as Texas, Pearls In June and Wiliamtheconqueror, among others, in work. 

Whether it is a feature event in France, the USA, over in Hong Kong or a midweek maiden in Brisbane, Smith is known for his love of celebrating his stable’s triumphs. 

“I am a good winner, when they win – I like to show it,” he said.

“It has been a fun game; it has been enormously fun. I like winning and enjoying my wins.”

The great Balmerino won a Brisbane Cup in 1976 on a career that dazzled the globe.

And, Smith holds the rare title of winning the same race some three decades later when Jetset Lad was victorious in the Group 2 back in 2015.

When asked to reflect on his lengthy career within the industry, Smith joked that it was ‘hard’.

He has battled health concerns in recent times, as well.

But, Smith quickly put on a serious face and was fast to thank all that have helped him over the years from trackwork riders, race day jockeys, stable foreman and the array of staff he has employed in his numerous training locations.

“I have had an amazing time,” he said.

“Starting off 50 years ago, I think I came across to Australia 45 or 50 times before I made the decision to come across to train. 

“I started off at the Gold Coast so I have been participating in Brisbane since the early 1980s.

“When you travel you meet top trainers with great ideas and it is a wonderful game.”

Smith made special mention of jockeys Thornton and Marnu Potgieter for all their efforts and dedication in recent years.