Consistency the key to Placid Pearl becoming jewel in crown for Smith

Trainer Matthew Smith says he’d love to get some continuity into Placid Pearl’s preparation as he has the mare pegged as a stayer of promise.

When the four-year-old runs in the TAB Handicap (2200m) at Warwick Farm today it’ll be a month since her eye-catching third-up performance that had Smith thinking she’s ready to win.

Trainer Matthew Smith.Credit: Getty Images

The gap between runs is due to Placid Pearl having a high muscle enzyme reading that forced her to be scratched from a race at Wyong last week, where she was favourite, but Smith said that’s not a concern.

“She’s a nice mare, she’ll make a decent staying mare,” he said. “We just need to get a sequence of races together where she runs every couple of weeks without a hiccup.

“She’s fit, she’s well, we’ll see what happens. If she gets a bit of luck in running she won’t be too far off. Her work has been good, and the trip won’t be a problem.”

Placid Pearl has stablemate Mediaro for company in the staying event and Smith said the latter needs to prove himself at a trip.

He ran fourth in a seven-horse field behind Bestower over 2400m two weeks ago after two wins out of town at 2100m.

“He didn’t relax,” Smith said. “They went a good gallop, and it found him out. I’m not sure if we should come back to 2000m. His work his good, he’s sound and fit so we’ll learn a bit more about him and if he doesn’t run the 2200m we’ll be back to 2000m pretty quick.”

There’s no doubt from Smith that lightly raced gelding Lunar Lover has come back in good order but he has one concern going into the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1600m).

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The five-year-old flashed home from the back when a close third at Gosford first-up and it’s staying at the mile, though it has been by design, which has the trainer wary.

“The only question is whether it’s going to be far enough for him,” Smith said. “Horses can run well fresh then when the edge is off them they don’t sprint quite as quickly. I thought rather than sending him straight up in trip we’d run him in another mile then send him up.”

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