News

Late bloomer Hurtle Myrtle set to fulfil date with destiny

24th Jun 2011

Sydney Morning Herald - Craig Young - Friday, 24 June 2011

After a stop-start race career against some of the best of her gender, the four-year-old mare is primed for group 1 glory, writes Craig Young.

The horse Matthew Smith found in a Hunter Valley paddock is finally in the best shape of a three-season racing career. Hurtle Myrtle lines up in tomorrow's Tattersall's Tiara at Eagle Farm.

At stake in the sprint for fillies and mares is group 1 status. Prized in the racing game, especially when you have a prospective broodmare. A win at the elite level, and you've got yourself a money printer.

''This week is as good as I've ever had her,'' Smith said yesterday from north of the border.

For the Warwick Farm horseman and connections of Hurtle Myrtle, it has been some wait. The four-year-old mare was jousting with the likes of More Joyous in her three-year-old season. Smith bought Hurtle Myrtle as a yearling on spec but a team of owners helped ease the burden.

''I bought her at the Inglis Classic sale for $55,000,'' he said. ''She was a good sort, a very good type. I'd been up to Kitchwin Hills Stud and [manager] Mick Malone had shown her to me. By the time she'd got to the sale she'd improved, she'd improved all the time. A lot go backwards but not her, and when I saw her at the Classic sale I had to buy her.''

Belinda Evans was at the sale. Smith said his loyal client ''committed to taking a good percentage of her'', and Andrew Smith also took a share. ''He has been with me since I started training,'' Smith said.

''She definitely showed above-average ability from day one.

''She has raced against all the top mares and fillies, and has been right there. She has got the talent, she has got the ability.''

Unfortunately, things haven't gone as planned. Hurtle Myrtle was supposed to be in Brisbane last year with the Winter Stakes the ultimate goal. A group 1 race was within the filly's grasp.

''It wasn't one problem, it was several,'' Smith said. ''First she had a lung infection after finishing fifth in last year's Coolmore Classic and she got pretty sick. The idea was to bring her up for this race …''

A spell was required. On returning, she was found to have ''some lameness issues'' and ''nerve damage in a shoulder''.

''We couldn't get her right so she went back out,'' Smith said. ''It is hard to get a good horse; we had to be patient and work it out. They are a real good bunch of owners and they've stuck solid.''

The Sydney autumn carnival was on the agenda. ''She came back this preparation and jarred up at her first couple of runs on the firm tracks,'' Smith said.

As the tracks became softer, Hurtle Myrtle was back in business. She won the Sapphire Stakes at Randwick at the back end of the carnival and then didn't have a lot of luck in the Dark Jewel at Scone.

Smith headed north to Queensland, and Hurtle Myrtle charged home to win the Dane Ripper Stakes. There was talk of backing up a week later in the Stradbroke Handicap but Smith stuck to his plan.

''The Stradbroke was tempting but I didn't want to jeopardise the Winter Stakes,'' he said. ''This was her best chance to win a group 1.''

So the Hurtle Myrtle team has waited patiently, again.

Brenton Avdulla sticks with the mare tomorrow, and she was at $9.50 overnight with TAB Sportsbet. The warm favourite was honest Darley mare Beaded (Corey Brown) at $1.95 while Victorian raider Varenna Miss (Dwayne Dunn) was next, at $6.50.

Smith was bullish about his charge. ''She hasn't missed any work up here in the good climate,'' he said. ''She has thrived up here, she has done very well and I'm very happy with her.''

The rewards await.

A bit like with stablemate and last-start Doomben winner Ready Steady Vetti, which runs in tomorrow's Hardy Brothers Jewellers Handicap. ''I thought it was a pretty good win the other day and he has thrived, too,'' Smith said.

Tip-top shape indeed.