October
FebruaryWonder worker
Geelong-based Kelvin Smith is a low-profile trainer with rarely more than six horses in work, most less than superbly bred.
But what wonders over the past two decades he has performed with a small team.
A current example of this is the near miracle he has achieved with the seven-year-old mare Astro Miss.
Again, less than fashionably bred, the mare came to him from Tasmania, where her form was, well, awful. She had, clearly, lost her zest for racing after showing some promise earlier in her racing career.
A tearaway leader (no steering wheel), she presented serious behavioural problems both on the training track and racetrack.
But this talented horseman (a former more-than-competent jockey) was able to find the key to the horse.
In nine runs in his hands, the mare has won three races and placed on another occasion. Her unplaced runs also had merit as excuses could be made.
To be sure, the wins were not at Flemington but they were on highly competitive provincial and country tracks: Geelong, Hamilton and Ararat.
I salute Smith for his largely unrecognised and unsung efforts.
Belmont (Vic)