Progressive step for Smart As You Think

Trainer John McArdle will give Smart As You Think a short spring campaign starting at Flemington.

Trainer John McArdle will give talented mare Smart As You Think a light spring with long-range autumn targets in mind.

Smart As You Think runs in Saturday’s Group Two Let’s Elope Stakes at Flemington building towards the Matriarch Stakes on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival.

Long term McArdle is already planning for next autumn, in particular the Sydney and Brisbane Cups.

“She won’t have a massive spring but she’ll have a big autumn,” McArdle said.

Smart As You Think has been successful once in her 14 starts, but is stakes placed finishing second in the Morphettville Guineas last year and third in the SA Fillies Classic at Morphettville in May.

That performance came at the end of three fortnightly trips between McArdle’s Mornington base and the South Australian carnival and followed a seventh place in the Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill marred by interference.

“She got injured in the Vinery when she nearly fell with the interference and it made it a lot longer prep than we wanted it to be,” McArdle said.

“She went to Sydney once, Adelaide three times, going backwards and forwards as she’s a finicky mare who likes being at home.

“That’s why we thought we’d give her a lighter spring and then attack the autumn.”

Smart As You Think made her spring return at Caulfield on September 2, finishing fifth behind Mr Sneaky, her first run over 1200m.

McArdle says Saturday’s 1400m is still short of her best.

“We ran her in the 1200 first-up because she was 40 kilos heavier than she was last prep so we ran her in that instead of giving her a trial,” McArdle said.

“I love the way she came through it.

“She looks a treat, she’s working a treat and it’s another step in the path.”