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Smith chasing first metropolitan starter on the Gold Coast

17 February 2021

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By Jordan Gerranstom-smith-rockhampton.jpg

Up-and-coming central Queensland trainer Tom Smith is closing in on an early career milestone with his first Saturday metropolitan starter within his sights.

The emerging trainer, who only took out his licence in March of last year, has the in-form Yarralinda set for Saturday’s QTIS Jewel Qualifier 2Y0 Plate (1100m) at Mackay.

The winner of the regional qualifier will be ballot exempt for the $500,000 QTIS Jewel 2YO next month at the Gold Coast.

Smith is not counting his chickens before they hatch just yet, but his filly has three career wins to her name while the rest of the field are yet to win a race.

“If we were to win on Saturday, we would definitely look to come down,” Smith said.

“There is probably going to be other horses in the final race that have better credentials on form but with good prize money down to 10th, it will come into consideration going into the Gold Coast.

“We had other aims with the horse originally, looking at the $125,000 Capricorn Yearling Sales 2YO Classic in April, but this was our “Plan B” as something that is lucrative, and we can target.

“It would be a great experience to have my first metro runner.”

Purchased at the annual Capricorn Yearling Sales, Yarralinda has been an excellent purchase for Smith’s Cooktown-based ownership group.

The two-year-old brown filly cost just $14,000 and has already picked up $80,725 from six career starts, as well as $45,150 in QTIS bonuses – with that number likely to rise again come Saturday afternoon in the sugar city.

Smith has been there the entire way for the Better Than Ready filly; he broke her in, educated her and has been there every step of the journey.

Yarralinda is only small - Smith says she is not even 15 hands - but that does not matter for much as she can seriously gallop, scoring by more than 1.5 lengths in each of her three wins.

“She is a really consistent filly and has only missed the top two placings once and that was on debut,” Smith said.

“I think she will be very hard to beat this Saturday at Mackay and that will take her prize money well over $100,000.

“It is a winnable race this Saturday and I think she will be very hard to beat.”

Only 19 years of age, Smith was born into the racing industry, his father Fred has always trained while sister Elyce has been one of the top central Queensland hoops over the last few years.

He has 12 in work at his Rockhampton base and has developed a strong strike rate in his first year in the training ranks.

Yarralinda

Elyce, who won last year’s Townsville Cup, has recently stepped away from being a jockey on a full-time basis, starting as a school teacher in Emerald, but she is likely to still ride at Saturday meetings.

With Elyce now teaching, the Smith stable have brought in Emily Lang as their new apprentice hoop.

The 20-year-old was previously with Chris Munce in Brisbane and has recently relocated to Rockhampton, and is yet to make her race day debut.

Northern cities such as Mackay, Townsville, Cairns and Rockhampton will all run qualifiers for the rich Jewel day on the Gold Coast before the end of the month, with two for the three-year-olds and two for the two-year-olds.

The first NQ Jewel qualifier will be run at Mackay on Saturday ahead of the big day on the Gold Coast next month, which is headlined by the $500,000 QTIS Jewel 2YO and 3YO races, as well as the Listed ATC Trophy.