Smooth Machete comfortably takes out Tasbred Final

Seven days ago, trainer Kelly Reggett didn’t think that Smooth Machete (Ultimate Machete) ($1.50 fav) would take his place in the Prydes Easifeed Dandy Patch Final (2090m), and five months ago, she didn’t even have her harness racing trainer’s licence.

Fast forward to last Saturday night, and the Ultimate Machete Colt destroyed his rivals in the Group 3 event.

Driver Dylan Ford drove for luck early from an inside of a second-row draw before working one off the pylons on the first turn. Ford then went three wide, looking for a spot further forward, but was kept three wide for the length of the back straight before dropping back into the one-one position.

He was then left leading up the one-wide line when Vincenzo, who was racing outside the leader, pushed on to find the lead at the 1300m.

Ford put the foot down at the 500m, with the colt racing away late to score by 9.4m from Vincenzo ($3.90) and Feelinkindalucky ($91).

The win was one of emotion for trainer Kelly Reggett, who only took out her trainer’s licence five months ago.

She trained a winner on her first night, and she told this website that her ambition as a breeder was to win a Tasbred Final for her late brother, David Medhurst.

“This is something I always dreamt of doing with Dave.

“This is for you, mate. I know you are up there somewhere, and I have asked all week to make sure you were alongside Dylan, and you did that,” said Reggett.

“Seven days ago, he was lame, he had a hoof abscess, and then after he got posted three-deep like that, I thought he was in a bit of strife.

“He missed a fair bit of work from his heat to tonight, so he wasn’t 100%. I know he can be at 100% and be better than that,” the trainer explained.

Reggett will discuss the colt’s future plans with fellow part-owners, husband Mark, along with Chris and Sharon Bailey.

“He is Vicbred, so we will weigh up our options if we go and try to win our Vicbred bonus, or send him to the paddock and give him a decent break,” said the trainer.

The Kelly Reggett stable will be looking to continue her excellent run with two runners in Launceston on Sunday night.

Kelly rated Sharkbite Alto as her best winning chance in race 6.

The gelding has drawn barrier two on the second-row and will be chasing his fourth win in a row.

“He should be able to follow straight through from his draw, and on his last start, he should be there again, as I don’t think it is any harder than last week.

Launceston’s nine-race card commences at 17:32 and can be seen on TasracingTV, with the first race scheduled for Sky Racing 2, with the remaining races on Sky Racing 1.

For complete race results, click here.

by Duncan Dornauf, for Tasracing