THE MAIL
Warwick Farm trainer Matthew Smith and owner Frank Cook hatched a plan to train group 1-placed Faraway Town as a sprinter this preparation and it returned immediate results at Randwick on Saturday.
The Not A Single Doubt four-year-old had only won once in 17 starts, and that race was 797 days previously. However, Smith had trained her as a miler after running third in the Sires Produce Stakes as a two-year-old. "Frank and I had a chat and he wanted to train her as a sprinter with a big finish and it worked there," Smith said. "She has always been a good horse fresh and she has done that very well, so we will head to better things. We might head to the Breeders Classic and see if she can step up again."
ACQUITTAL FINDS RANGE
Danny Williams left Randwick with a satisfying Highway Handicap quinella from Acquittal and Kopi Luwak, with both now looking to next month's Goulburn heat of the Country Championships.
Acquittal broke his maiden at his third run and first attempt at 1400m after a heady ride from Jay Ford, who went with the three-year-old when he looked like over-racing in the early stages.
"It was a great ride and he showed the benefit of having a couple of trips away," Williams said. "He was much better today before the race and in the race. He is still going to get better. That was the horse I thought I had and I have always said that 1400m would see him at his best. We just had to teach him a few things before he got to this trip."
Kopi Luwak got back in the field and didn't have the best of chances at the top of the straight and still ran on, so he is on track for the Country Championships where he gets a big weight turnaround from the winner.
"It is good to go home with two horses that are still going to improve," Williams said.
MEMES ENJOYS BUBBLE
Rachel King calls it the "Memes' bubble" and she was in it again at Randwick on Saturday.
Memes didn't lead on Saturday, rather she tracked Hidden Pearl to the turn and then went away from her rival in the straight before being challenged late again.
"She just wants to be comfortable and in her Memes' bubble," King said. "When something comes to get in it she finds another gear and she did again out there."
Memes looked under siege but ran away to win by a length from Boss Lane and Palazzo Pubblico.
BOWMAN TREBLE
Hugh Bowman proved the difference for Cellarman and Flow as he chalked up another city treble at Randwick on Saturday.
The classy win of D'Argento started Bowman's afternoon and he followed up by getting Cellarman to settle close and sprint through and win. Then he was always in control on $1.70 favourite Flow, which sprinted away for a 3 length win.
"I thought he was good late but I think he can do better," Bowman said. "He'll go to harder races I still think he's got a lot of growing up to do."
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