Morton's Masterful Training Display Secures Feature Race Quinella
Trainer Dan Morton experienced one of his most memorable days in racing on Saturday, celebrating a spectacular quinella in the Group 2 $300,000 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot. His stable favourite Super Smink ($2.80 favourite) emerged victorious over stable companion In Good Order ($126) in a thrilling finish that showcased Morton's training prowess.
Race Tactics Prove Decisive in Stakes Victory
Jumping alertly from barrier one, Super Smink secured an ideal position tracking pacemaker Comfort Me ($8) in the early stages. This gave jockey Chris Parnham a significant tactical advantage over main danger Western Empire ($2.90), who was forced to settle near the rear from the wide barrier 11.
Comfort Me established moderate early sectionals, putting backmarkers at a distinct disadvantage. As the field turned for home, Bustler ($31) shifted out under pressure, creating the perfect opening for Super Smink to accelerate through.
The five-year-old mare quickly joined Comfort Me but found an unexpected challenge from her unheralded stablemate In Good Order. The two Morton-trained horses battled fiercely over the final 200 metres before Super Smink's superior class prevailed, winning by a half-length.
Railway Stakes Looms as Next Major Target
Morton expressed particular satisfaction with how the race unfolded, noting that Super Smink was able to sit closer to the speed than usual due to the tempo. "She's the stable favourite, so it means a bit," Morton said. "It's all tempo-related. If they're going too quick, then you don't need to be there, but they went steady enough that it worked for her today."
The victory positions Super Smink as a $6 third favourite for her next assignment, the Group 1 $1.5 million Railway Stakes (1600m) on November 22. Morton acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating: "She's at a good level of fitness, so it's just our job to tick every box and be super careful, and probably not sleep much, myself."
The trainer also addressed the possibility of a weight penalty for the Railway Stakes: "We were aware coming into today that you might gain half a kilo or something but these races are here to win - they're worth proper money - and if she's got a little penalty, so be it."
Parnham, who has partnered with Super Smink throughout her career including victories in the Magic Millions, Karrakatta Plate and WA Sires' Produce during her two-year-old season, praised the mare's development. "She's a magnificent mare now. From what she did early and to still be going at this age, she's done a tremendous job," Parnham said.
The jockey believes the mare is capable of claiming a Group 1 victory: "She's the sort of mare that's capable of winning a Group 1, so fingers crossed she can do it in the Railway. I think she's good enough."
Beyond the Railway Stakes, Super Smink is also nominated for the Northerly Stakes ($15) and Gold Rush ($11) in subsequent weeks. Parnham identified the 1400m to mile distance as her ideal range, suggesting the Railway Stakes represents her best winning opportunity.
The Lee Steere Stakes victory continues Super Smink's remarkable career, which has now seen her accumulate over $1.5 million in prizemoney, cementing her status as one of Western Australia's most successful racehorses.
