Trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith has urged punters to look past the recent form of his galloper De Forza, expressing strong confidence the four-year-old is primed to return to the winner's circle on his home track at Coffs Harbour this week.
De Forza's Path to Redemption
Mayfield-Smith believes De Forza's last two starts, a seventh in a Highway at Rosehill and another seventh in a Class 3 at Taree, are not a true reflection of the horse's ability. He attributes the results to jockey error and bad luck in running.
"Grady (Spokes) got off and said he should have won easily," Mayfield-Smith revealed, referencing the Taree run where the horse was held up on the fence. "He is a young kid going places but they make mistakes." The trainer was also of the view that a different tactical approach might have helped in the Rosehill race.
Despite the setbacks, Mayfield-Smith insists there is nothing wrong with the horse's condition. "His last two runs haven't returned the results we expected but I don't think there has been anything wrong with the way the horse is racing," he said.
De Forza, a son of Calyx, will drop back to 1010 metres for the Benchmark 82 Handicap, a move that doesn't concern his trainer. "He's quite a quick horse with a good turn of foot. I haven't had to do anything with him and he has freshened up nicely," Mayfield-Smith added.
Never Island Poised to Peak
Mayfield-Smith is also bullish about the prospects of promising mare Never Island, who lines up in the Paradox Agency Cup Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1612 metres. The six-year-old is now third-up from a lengthy injury layoff and steps up to her preferred distance, over which she is undefeated in three wins.
Her second-up run at Grafton on November 21, where she finished a strong-closing second, signalled she was nearing her best. "She has come on again since then, her work has indicated that and she is pretty close to her peak now," the trainer stated. "I expect her to go very well. I really think she will be hard to beat."
Victory could alter her campaign, making her ineligible for a Sydney Highway race. Mayfield-Smith also has a longer-range target in mind: "In the back of my mind, I've also got the Country Championships Qualifier which is going to be run at Coffs Harbour over 1400 metres which would suit her down to the ground."
Other Stable Chances and Rival Trainer's Hopes
Rounding out Mayfield-Smith's key chances is Cardsharp, who is expected to improve on a luckless fourth at Lismore when he runs in the Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1312 metres. "He's had a jumpout since that run which he went very well in and his work has been good so I expect him to go pretty well," the trainer said.
Meanwhile, Scone trainer Rodney Northam is aiming Upwardly Mobile at a Benchmark 64 Handicap at Gosford, hoping she can transition from consistent Highway performer to provincial winner. The mare broke through for a deserved Midway victory at Newcastle on The Hunter Day after a series of near-misses in Sydney.
"She just needed to get a bit of luck," Northam said. "Her runs have been consistent and she finally got a nice barrier at Newcastle last start." With another good draw, Northam is optimistic. A successful campaign could see her aimed at the Country Championship Qualifiers in 2025, for which she will need to lift her rating.
Northam will also send promising gelding Speedy Henry to Gosford for a first-up assignment in a Benchmark 68 Handicap over 1100 metres. The four-year-old has won three of his four starts, including two fresh. "He's a nice horse and he goes quite well fresh," Northam noted, suggesting a Highway race in Sydney could be next if he performs well.
