Aleahra's special afternoon at Caloundra

By Jordan Gerrans

The strong victory of Super Zamboni at Caloundra on Sunday afternoon was attributed to rider Dale Smith and trainer Steele Ryan. 

But, for the jockey and conditioner team, they made it all about someone else leading into the event and after the stylish win.

It was an afternoon at the track that Smith’s daughter Aleahra will never forget. 

Aleahra is keen on the horses and works at Ryan’s barn in the afternoons after school and just did a bigger stint during the school holidays at his Deagon yard.

It was Aleahra’s first official race day strapping on Sunday and her old man delivered her a memorable first-up victory.

The 14-year-old Aleahra was overcome with emotion at the occasion which could spur her onto a career in the racing game.

“It was basically a fairytale,” Smith said. 

“You couldn’t have scripted it any better. She was emotional, very emotional.

“When she is at the races usually with me, she screams and yells, cheering me on and she gets quite emotional when I get a winner.

“The tears always come out.”

Of the six that faced the starter on Sunday at Caloundra over 1000 metres in Class 3 Handicap company, Super Zamboni was the outsider of the market at $17.

The five-year-old gelding was obviously not worried about his starting price as he just loomed up on the outside in the home straight and won well in the end. 

Super Zamboni is only a newcomer to Ryan’s barn and won at his second start for the team. 

“He failed first-up dismally and I think we rode him upside down,” Smith said.

“Steele and I had a good couple of conversations during the week and we were not going to run him in that race from a wide barrier.

“But, with the four scratchings, he came in a fair bit.

“I thought in this race we could experiment a little bit and ride him cold, bring him back and give him some confidence within himself.

“We got him building up underneath himself and he was trotting at the 300 metre mark and I thought he would be able to blow them away.

“He did do that in the end.”

To make the occasion even more special, it was Ryan’s birthday on Sunday with the trainer turning 57 years of age. 

It has been a prolific last week for Smith as he piloted two winners at Gympie on the Saturday before his special triumph on Sunday at the Sunshine Coast. 

He was busy at the Caloundra trials on Tuesday morning, as well. 

The hoop believes Super Zamboni will eventually get out to six furlongs but says for now he is comfortable at the 1000 metre trip.

Smith says Aleahra could pursue a future in the racing industry later in life, but the teenager will be focusing on her school studies for the time being.

Aboard Super Zamboni on Sunday, the 44-year-old Smith had enough time to pose for the photographers to celebrate the milestone for his daughter. 

“It was special,” he said.

“Steele and I, we made it more about her than actually winning the race for us.

“I gave her a smile as I went past the winning post as I knew it was going to be a picture on the wall for her.

“We made it all about her and she was over the moon.”