The first race on a star studded Flemington program on Saturday was not a stakes race, but the winner certainly has stakes potential with exciting Brave Smash (Jpn) gelding Jett Smash resuming from a spell to score a dominant win.
Trained by Danny O’Brien and ridden by Damian Lane, Jett Smash was sent off well fancied in the Benchmark 84 event over 1200m and travelled perfectly in the run before letting loose to cruise clear and win by nearly three lengths.
“He’s a horse that keeps improving and he’s come back a better horse again this prep. He couldn’t have won much easier,” said Damian Lane.
“He has some great attributes, he’s quick and can put himself into a prominent position with a high cruising speed, then can still finish the race off.”
With five wins from seven starts and prizemoney topping $150,000, Jett Smash is a horse on the up with a bright future.
“He’s matured a lot and is 20 to 30kg more substantial than he was in the autumn and he’s trialled up well, so we expected a forward run,” said Danny O’Brien, who will look to step Jett Smash up to stakes races as the carnival unfolds.
He was bought by New Zealand trainer Jenna Mahoney for $26,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale from the Waylon J Stud draft and then was bought privately from New Zealand after winning three barrier trials at two.
Jett Smash is the best of three winners from four foals to race from Tambo’s Jewel, a nine time winning mare by Oratorio (IRE) from the family of dual Group I Victoria and SA Derby winner Rebel Raider.
The first yearlings conceived at Yarraman Park by Brave Smash have sold this year and he achieved a new sale ring benchmark with a colt from Tetsuko selling at Magic Millions for $380,000 to George Moore Bloodstock.
Brave Smash has plenty of blue sky in front of him and his fee this spring is an affordable $22,000.
