Smith’s Birdsville Cup interest runs deep

By Glenn Davis

Former Roma trainer Craig Smith knows what it takes to win a Birdsville Cup.

Smith, who hung up his stopwatch two years ago after more than four decades of training, has won the Melbourne Cup of the desert twice.

The 61-year-old has made an annual pilgrimage to Birdsville for nearly two decades, winning the iconic desert Cup twice with Dancefloor Prodigy in 2012 and Fast Fella in 2017.

However, this year, Smith will miss the iconic meeting for the first time in years, but he will still have a strong interest as a part-owner of a runner in this year’s Birdsville Cup.

Smith part-owns the Rebecca Kerwin-trained Acedrod, who is coming off two wins at Blackall and Emerald.

“Unfortunately, I’m not going to Birdsville this year as my partner, Sandy Watkins, is having a hernia operation,” Smith said.

“But, I’m sending Acedrod out there as I think he’s got a good chance.”

Smith first ventured to Birdsville in 2003 and has been a regular visitor ever since.

“It’s 1,140 kilometres from Roma to Birdsville, so it’s a challenge to get a horse to run in a Birdsville Cup,” Smith said.

“It’s an even greater thrill to win it, let alone winning it twice as a trainer.”

Smith trained Acedrod earlier in the five-year-old’s career, which has produced eight wins and six placings from 26 starts.

“I bought him for $12,000 at the Capricornia sales and he ran third in the big Capricornia Yearling Sale Classic at his first start,” Smith said.

“I left him up there with Sileas Green and Adrian Coome for a while, but he’s now with Rebecca Kerwin here at Roma.

“I’ve always believed he would be a late maturer and he likes the Cup distance.

“I sent him to Birdsville last year, when he ran second in a Benchmark race, so he can handle the dirt track out there.”

Smith is confident Acedrod’s form line will stack up as he chases a third straight win.

“He led all the way when he won easily over 1400 metres at Blackall, then he beat The Driller last time over 1600 metres at Emerald,” he said.

“The Driller has made his form look good after he won the Cairns Amateur Cup.

“He’s been a consistent horse and he’s improved every preparation, so I think he’s got a good chance in the Birdsville Cup.”

Smith operates an 8000-acre property just outside Roma, where he runs cattle and grows wheat, barley and oats.

He revealed years of riding horses have taken their toll on his knees and he will undergo knee replacement surgery in the near future.