Mister Smartee (NZ) Adds Group Three to Impressive Resume

Mister Smartee (NZ) (Always B Miki) kept his unbeaten record in Australia intact with his powerful front-running display in the A$50,000 Three-Year-Old Western Gateway Pace (2536m) at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Driver Gary Hall Jnr had the NZB Standardbred graduate in front throughout and he proved far too tough for his rivals to catch.

Mister Smartee was purchased by Craig Edmonds for $32,500 at the 2021 National Yearling Sale at Christchurch when he was offered among the Dancingonmoonlight Farm draft.

Edmonds prepared the pacer to set a New Zealand record for two-year-old pacers in just his second start at Addington on New Zealand Cup Day of 2022.

The outstanding win would be Mister Smartee’s last in New Zealand before he was purchased by clients of leading West Australian trainer Gary Hall Snr.

Mister Smartee is unbeaten under Hall’s care, with his victory in the Western Gateway Pace his fourth win in four starts across the Tasman.

Gary Hall Jnr pushed forward at the start of Friday night’s race to take an early lead with Mister Smartee.

The pair set a strong tempo in the lead before clearing out to score easily, by more than seven metres.

Mister Smartee’s win strengthened his claims as he approaches the Group One West Australian Derby (2536m).

The A$200,000 classic event will be held at Gloucester Park on November 3.