Smartedge off the mark at Warwick Farm

The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Smartedge has scored a confidence-boosting maiden win at Warwick Farm, making amends for his last start as the well-beaten favourite.

Smartedge finished second-last at Canterbury on August 9 but put in a composed performance on Wednesday to claim the TAB Rewards Handicap (1300m) by a long neck.

“I think he’s just lacking a little bit of confidence. I stress the fact that it was important to give him that confidence too,” Paul Snowden said.

“First-up he got narrowly beaten (at Newcastle) by a horse that’s gone on with it now (Gold Standard).

“Then he was three-deep the other day no cover, he was just on the wrong leg and rolling around just chasing a hot speed. Ultimately that brought him undone especially around Canterbury.”

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Kerrin McEvoy rolled Smartedge ($3.60) to the lead at the 600 and he was never seriously threatened, although the John Thompson-trained Primitivo ($41) finished strongly to trim the winning margin.

Dissolution ($4.40) was a long neck back in third.

“It was good to see him jump well with the shades (blinkers) on and travel well. He always looked like the winner,” Snowden said.

He was non-committal about about the next target for Smartedge.

“That’ll remain to be seen,” he said.

“If he does step out again he’s going to have to have a winning chance otherwise you bring all that good work undone.”