3 minute read
If bigger means faster then Buenos Noches could announce himself as a sprinting force this spring and his trainer Matthew Smith certainly hopes so.
The four-year-old kicks off his season in Saturday's Group 3 $250,000 MostynCopper Show County Quality (1200m) at Randwick and Matthew Smith said Buenos Noches will be the master of his own destiny as far as his targets go.
Smith is keen to turn the horse into a stallion prospect and the dream would be to earn a TAB Everest berth.
He's currently on the $51 line for the nation's premier sprint, worth $20 million this year.
"At the end of the day he's got to go and do it,'' Smith said.
"Absolutely the Everest is on the radar, with a horse like this. If he wins he might earn a guernsey.
"Let's hope he goes bang, here I am, and we'll all be pretty happy."
Buenos Noches, $4.40 with TAB on Wednesday, was a Listed winner at his third start and recorded placings behind Everest winner Giga Kick and In Secret in the spring, the latter at Group 1 level in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.
He hasn't raced since he was beaten two lengths in the Newmarket Handicap.
Smith said he was pleased to see the horse develop in his break and says he's prepared to run a big race fresh, evidenced by his latest trial where he was close up behind Mo'Unga and Think It Over.
"He's a lot bigger and stronger, no doubt about that,'' he said.
"He's well over 16 hands now so he's definitely grown and strengthened and you always hope that translates into a faster horse.
"I was happy with his trials. His work is great and everything is good with him. He looks well and he's fit, for a first up run he's where you need to have him.
"I definitely think he will keep improving as he gets runs under his belt but he's forward enough to run really well."
While Buenos Noches is expected to make an impact first-up, Smith said French Endeavour is a horse to watch out for through the season.
The filly has only raced twice and was a maiden winner at Warwick Farm a month ago so an assignment in the Group 2 $300,000 Darley Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) represents the deep end.
But the Warwick Farm trainer is confident she'll ultimately measure up.
"She's a nice filly. She's more of a seven furlong or miler, I think these will be a bit sharp for her at 1200m but she will come into her own over further,'' he said.
"Her first-up run was good and she backed it up, that's all you can do.
"She was unlucky not to win first-up and a few of those horses have gone onto bigger and better things."
