Smashing making good early impression

Smashing may not yet have enjoyed the racing success of her mother, but she is nevertheless fashioning a tidy record of her own.

The Pins filly won for the third time from nine appearances for trainer Jason Bridgman when she downed a handy field of three-year-olds in the Norman’s Transport & Storage 1400 at Te Aroha on Saturday.

“Stepping up to the 1400 metres was the big thing for her,” Bridgman said “Like her mother, she’s got quite a high cruising speed.”

Smashing is the first foal of Ruud Van Slaats, whose five wins featured the Cal Isuzu Stakes and the Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Group Two level. She was also a three time Group One placegetter for Trelawney Stud.

The Cambridge farm bred Smashing, who also carries their colours, who will now be sent for a break and Bridgman is hoping she will continue to improve with age.

“We’ll give her a good, long spell and when you put them out on a high note they generally come back better,” he said.

“I think she can develop into a pretty handy 1400 to 1600 metre horse. Her mother didn’t really come to it until she was four and five.”

As usual, Smashing jumped smartly to sit on the pace and she rallied strongly in the straight under rider Cameron Lammas to win by three quarters of a length.

Fresh runner Zabelle, the only maiden in the line-up, ran on well from the back of the field for second.

It was an encouraging performance from the Zabeel filly, given her connections are keen on a trip to Brisbane for a crack at the $A400,000 Gr.1 Queensland Oaks at the end of May.