Politeness has been included in the 2015 The Goodwood field, but trainer Robert Smerdon believes that the talented mare will need a soft track and plenty of luck to record a maiden win at Group 1 level at Morphettville on Saturday.
Politeness will have the chance to return to winning form in the 2015 The Goodwood in Adelaide this weekend. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Politeness had a disrupted 2015 Melbourne Festival Of Racing campaign due to a niggling hoof issue, but she returned to racing with a fast-finishing victory in the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on April 18 and she ran some of the fastest closing sectionals in the race when she finished fifth in the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on May 2.
Smerdon told Racing Ahead that he was happy with the Robert Sangster Stakes performance of Politeness, but he said that the Street Sense mare looks like she is crying out for a step-up in trip and he believes that she will be giving her rivals another big start in The Goodwood this weekend.
“She had good late sectionals, but I thought off that she is looking for a touch further and I think that she needs a soft track,” Smerdon said.
“She is going to get a long way back from that draw and she is a run-on sprinter anyway, but when you draw that sort of barrier that means you are going to be standing them up a long way.
“They would have to go mad up front and play in her favor, but when she does get the breaks she is a very capable mare.”
Smerdon has already quinelled a Group 1 sprint this season, when Shamal Wind and Under The Louvre finished first and second in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m), and he has the chance to do the same in 2015 The Goodwood with Under The Louvre and Politeness.
Under The Louvre is currently available at The Goodwood odds of $9 with Ladbrokes and Politeness is at the far lengthier quote of $21, but Smerdon does not believe that there is a great deal of difference between the duo and feels luck in running will be key.
“It will probably be the circumstances that are going to separate them,” Smerdon said.
“If we got a wet track it would really play to the strength of Politeness and if the track played to run-on horses, but I don’t think that there is a great deal between them myself.”
Smerdon is chasing his third win in The Goodwood after previously taking out the race with Bomber Bill in 2003 and Lone Rock in 2011.
