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Group One Goal for Smart Missile Filly

Tara Madgwick - Saturday September 15
Unbeaten Smart Missile filly Smart Melody went on her winning way at Flemington Saturday, racing to an easy victory in the Listed VRC Cap D'Antibes Stakes over 1100 metres.



A homebred for Gooree Stud, Smart Melody won her only two starts last season by a combined total of 10.6 lengths and then resumed for a spell with a dominant win at Wyong last month.

Smart Melody - images Grant CourtneyDispatched to Melbourne for her first crack at Black type, the Kris Lees trained filly looked a class above when forging clear to win by a length and a half under Brenton Avdulla.

"She's a good filly," said Brenton Avdulla.

"I missed the ride on her the other day when I was in Japan, but was keen to stick with her. I sacrificed rides in Sydney today to come down here for her as I think she's the real deal."

Smart Melody is entered for all the spring majors including the Cox Plate so expectations are obviously high and the Guineas Prelude (1400m) will be her next assignment on her way to the Group I MRC Thousand Guineas next month over 1600 metres..

Smart Melody is the first winner for stakes-winning Encosta de Lago mare Sweetest Melody, who was on-sold by Gooree Stud at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale earlier this year for $51,000 in foal to Choisir.

With four wins in as many starts and prizemoney in excess of $161,000, Smart Melody looks a real rising star for Smart Missile, who stands at a fee of $13,200 at Twin Hill Stud. Smart Melody is the sixth stakes-winner for Smart Missile, a son of champion sire Fastnet Rock.




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