Lumosty In Ideal Darley Classic Form

Trainer Robert Smerdon is confident that Lumosty is ready to perform at her best in the 2015 Darley Classic, but he admits that she faces a tough challenge against Chautauqua in the Group 1 event at Flemington tomorrow.

Lumosty returned to the races with a fast-finishing effort in the 2015 Caulfield Sprint. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Lumosty returned to the races with a fast-finishing effort in the 2015 Caulfield Sprint. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Lumosty stamped herself as a sprinter with plenty of promise when she recorded two wins at Flemington during the winter and she started her 2015 Spring Racing Carnival with a dead-heat with Éclair Choice in the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1000m) at Caulfield on October 17.

Smerdon told Racing Ahead that his plan was always to have Lumosty at her best for the 2015 Darley Classic and he believes that the daughter of Fastnet Rock is ready to produce a career best performance in the Group 1 event.

“I think she is going as good as she has ever gone,” Smerdon said.

“She has had three weeks from her first-up run and we were always aiming for this week.

“I was probably backing off to go to the Group 3 yesterday, but Phil Sly was keen to give her an opportunity.

“It is going to be a great race and Chautauqua is a star, so you can never be confident in a race like that, but it is a horse race nonetheless and she goes in in really good shape.

“Whatever she produces tomorrow is as good as she has got.”

While Smerdon believes that it will be tough to beat Chautauqua in the Darley Classic, he still believes that Lumosty has a number of factors in her favour in the feature sprint of the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival.

The outside rail was the place to beat at Flemington yesterday afternoon and Lumosty has drawn the outside barrier, while he believes that she produced the best performances of her career when she took out an All Victoria Sprint Series Heat (1100m) on May 9 and the Listed The Straight Six (1200m) on May 23 down the famous Flemington straight.

“It may well play that way where they head to the outside,” Smerdon said.

“If that is the case it should be something in our favour.

“It may even be further compounded and hopefully that is the case.

“Straight track racing is a bit unique for some horses, but they have been career best races and she has run time on each occasion.

“They are very positive indicators.”

Lumosty has been backed into 2015 Darley Classic odds of $10 with Ladbrokes and she is on the fourth line of betting behind Chautauqua ($1.65), Terravista ($8) and Srikandi ($8).

Don’t miss out on best odds for every single race at Flemington on Saturday with Ladbrokes, who are offering Best Tote or SP +20% on all nine races!

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.