Bryan Smart outlines plans for stable stars
Bryan Smart has outlined plans for promising juvenile Antagonize and top sprinter Alpha Delphini.
Doncaster options for Antagonize
Bryan Smart is weighing up options at Doncaster for his unbeaten juvenile Antagonize. A winner at Newcastle on debut, he then followed up at Redcar under a penalty.
Smart now needs to decide whether to step up to Group Two company in the Howcroft Industrial Supplies Champagne Stakes or run in the Weatherbys Racing Bank £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes off a low weight.
"He's still a big baby, really, so it wouldn't bother me if we had just one more run and then put him away for next year," said Smart. "When he hit the front at Newcastle on debut, he clearly didn't know what he was doing, but everything comes so easily to him.
"At Redcar he was only a little bit more clued up, but he had to win the race twice. Nothing could give him a lead and then when something came out of the pack, he had to go again. Graham (Lee) has given him two lovely educational rides and he's a very exciting horse for the future.
"At the moment I'd say he'd be more likely to run in the sales race, because he's only down to carry 8st 9lb and it's worth a hell of a lot more than the Champagne."
Alpha team eye Battaash clash
Connections of Alpha Delphini have not been scared off by Battaash and will take him on in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York later this month.
Narrowly beaten last time on the Knavesmire in a Listed race, Smart does not think there is much between the rest of the sprinting division - Battaash excepted.
Just like his half-brother Tangerine Trees, whom Smart trained to win the Prix de l'Abbaye, Alpha Delphini is seemingly getting quicker with age and has been beaten less than a length on all four starts this season.
"I think we'll have a crack at the Nunthorpe," said Smart. "He likes it at York and there's a hell of a lot of prize-money on offer. I know Battaash looked unbeatable at Goodwood, but he boiled over at York last year and you can never be afraid of one. Behind him at Goodwood, the rest were in a heap. We've beaten the second (Take Cover) already this year, so if we'd run there, we'd have been in that group."
