Mister Smartee crushes rivals in $200,000 Golden Nugget

While all the attention has been focused on the Inter Dominion, the running of this year’s $200,000 Retrovision Group 1 Golden Nugget attracted justifiable interest with the clash of the West’s best four year olds namely Mister Smartee (Always B Miki) and Never Ending (Sweet Lou).

The race itself was shaping to be an epic clash made more interesting by the fact that Never Ending was starting from pole position and Mister Smartee next to him in barrier tow.

And the build up to the race did not disappoint as the crowd were treated to an awesome display by Mister Smartee who asserted his domination after having to race outside the leader throughout. Gary Hall Jnr might well have been wondering if he had made the right decision as he had to choose between driving either of Never Ending and Mister Smartee and he opted for the latter.

As expected Justin Prentice on Never Ending held the lead with Mister Smartee required to race alongside him caught one wide. However these two set a fairly slow pace making it obvious that they would be fighting out the finish.

Sorridere had the one out and one back trail with Skylord behind the leader and Lusaka further behind.

Both Never Ending and Mister Smartee were locked together in the final lap and Lusaka started to make a run out wide holding up Sorridere who had no where to go. Rising to the occasion Mister Smartee gained a break on straightening and showing great determination held off Sorridere and Lusaka with Never Ending tiring for fifth placing.

The slow pace suited Mister Smartee as he was able to reel off his last quarters in 27.9 and 27.8 and showed that while he can relax in the run he is capable of running fast quarters at the end of a race. The gelding has now the imposing record of 18 starts for 15 wins and one placing and just over $555,000 in prizemoney. He finished second to Minstrel in the West Australian Pacing Cup in November and his only other defeat in the West was when he was down the track in the West Australia Pacing Derby in 2023 after having no luck in the run.

MISTER SMARTEE REPLAY

Following the race Gary Hall Jnr was fulsome in his praise of Mister Smartee.

“This guy had came all the way through. He’s been very impressive this season He deserved for me to stick with him.”.

But he paid tribute to Never Ending “He’s been so good to me and he’s got a great set of owners”.

“Full credit to this horse (Mister Smartee). For a horse to have the starts that he’s had a Pacing Cup and take out the Nugget after sitting in the breeze is very special. All things equal he should come back as a better horse. He used to pull his head off in races and a lot of work was done in New Zealand to get him to settle. He’s starting to turn into the full package”.

The question that everyone will want to know is how far can Mister Smartee go. We know the Hall family have a high opinion of him and he has shown that he is amongst the top echelons of pacers in the West. If he could be tempted to come over for the big money races in the Eastern States, then there presents a rich array of classic features. Mister Smartee has mainly concentrated on middle and longer distance events with the shortest race being over 1730 metres which he duly won in 1.55.7.

Next year’s Inter Dominion at Albion Park comes to mind and even the rich Eureka at Menangle which Never Ending unsuccessfully competed in earlier this year. His presence will add to future feature events.

by Tony Milanese, for Harnesslink