Smith to give Buenos Noches a chance to make his mark in San Domenico
Son of Supido will step up to Group 3 sprint after winning on debut at Canterbury earlier this month
Matthew Smith is under no illusions as to the demands of throwing his recent maiden winner Buenos Noches (Supido) into the deep end for Saturday’s San Domenico Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Rosehill, but feels his inexperienced colt can handle the big step up in class against some of the country’s most promising young three-year-olds.
Buenos Noches won on debut in a Maiden Plate (1100m) at Canterbury just three weeks ago, finishing off best on the tails of a strong gallop set on the Heavy 9 surface to win by a length and three-quarters. In the process, he defeated Beautiful Heart (Snitzel), the half-sister to multiple Group 1-winner Hungry Heart (Frankel), while Godolphin’s Rakomelo (Lonhro), a sibling to three stakes winners – including Group 1-placegetter Savatiano (Street Cry), who finished second to Best Of Bordeaux (Snitzel) in the Canonbury Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) as a juvenile – finished third.
Five of the last six winners of the San Domenico Stakes have found their way to stud, including Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Exceedance (Exceed And Excel), Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) runner-up Pariah (Redoute’s Choice) and multiple Group 1-placegetter Star Turn (Star Witness), while last year’s winner and subsequent Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) hero In The Congo (Snitzel) will be destined for a stallion career upon retirement.
This year’s potential field is no less daunting, with Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) runner-up Best Of Bordeaux and unbeaten stakes-winning colts Nettuno (I Am Invincible), Promitto (Divine Prophet) and Zoukerino (Snitzel) among the 16 nominations for the three-year-old feature.
Smith has given Buenos Noches the insurance of nominations for Class 1 handicaps at Gosford on Friday and Kembla Grange on Saturday but, providing the barrier draw is kind, he is willing to test the credentials of his progressive colt at Group level.
“He’s not by any means a finished product just yet, but we just felt he’d made good progress in his work and that the timing was right to give him a shot,” Smith told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“I’m fully aware it’s a tough race, so we’ll see. But he’s in good form. Sometimes you know the timing is not quite right for them but, for him, while he’s got plenty to learn, it’s a step in the right direction and he’s definitely stepped up in his work.
“He’s one of those horses that will be better again in six months, but they can just keep improving once they step up to stakes level.
“It comes down to their brain and can they handle the race tactics, the stop and start and the pressure. You don’t know until you really try them. He seems like he’s ready, he had a trial last week and he was good late again.”
Buenos Noches was sent off a drifting $9 chance at Canterbury, jumping on terms before settling in midfield, four lengths adrift of the stern pace set by One Destiny (Super One).
As the challengers wilted, Buenos Noches picked up, recording a commanding victory, one which perhaps masked his inexperience on the track.
The colt holds a nomination for the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in October and while Smith remains unsure as to the extent of his untapped ability, the metropolitan schedule for three-year-olds at this time of year leads the Warwick Farm handler to test his credentials for a Group 1 tilt later this spring.
“We thought he’d run well [on debut], but you just never know. The fact they made it a good, genuine race really helped him, as he doesn’t understand much about race tactics just yet,” Smith said.
“It looks like 1100 [metres], 1200 or even further might suit him. But I think the San Domenico will be run very similar and presents as a good opportunity.
“The problem with a horse like him, that hasn’t had any racing, they don’t get much opportunity to learn much at this time of year because they’re racing good horses that have had a bit of schooling and racing under their belt, so it may be difficult to get into a race like the Guineas, but we’ll just take it race-by-race and see how he handles Saturday and that will give us a good idea as to where we go with him.”
Smith purchased Buenos Noches for $40,000 at last year’s Inglis Classic Sale, picking out the son of Supido (Sebring) from the Widden Stud draft.
He is out of the Northern Meteor (Encosta De Lago) mare Koi, herself a granddaughter of Group 1-winner Ballroom Babe (Citidancer), the dam of stakes winners Just Dancing (Fusaichi Pegasus), Tahni Girl (Redoute’s Choice) and Hidden Dragon (Danehill).
Koi’s final foal is a two-year-old colt by Star Witness (Starcraft) that was sent to New Zealand.
Buenos Noches is one of three winners for his Widden-based second-season sire Supido already this campaign, alongside Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s four-length maiden winner What You Need, who also holds Group 1 nominations for the Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas.
Smith, who was underbidder on Group 3 winner Supido as a yearling, believes the pair will not be the only talents to emerge for the young sire.
“I remember Supido as a yearling, we bid on him at the sale, and he was quite immature. It didn’t surprise me to see he didn’t race early,” Smith said.
“The ones we looked at by him that we liked looked that way as well, but with these younger stallions, you’ve got to take a bit of a chance on them and give them a go.
“You can’t write them off just because they don’t have lots of good two-year-olds. He stands at a really good farm who do a great job at giving them every opportunity. He has a really good pedigree, so it wouldn’t surprise me if we see a few more good horses come out by him.”