Arrowfield Stud freshman Smart Missile posted his first winner when debutante Smart ‘N’ Sassy scored in dashing style at Riccarton on Saturday.

The Steven Autridge trained filly missed the start by three lengths in the NZB Ready To Run Sale 2YO (800m), then quickly closed the gap on the field, took control of the race and pressed on to win by three-quarters of a length from What Choux Want.

Smart ‘N’ Sassy (2f Smart Missile – Panorama Ridge by Empire Maker) was bred by Matt and Jo Cloros with Arrowfield and purchased for $150,000 by Te Akau Racing at the 2015 Inglis Easter yearling sale.

Her dam Panorama Ridge (USA) was bred by Juddmonte Farms and is a daughter of G1 French Oaks winner Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat).  The mare has a yearling colt by Redoute’s Choice and she foaled by Snitzel colt in September.

Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock) ’s brief six start career provided some thrilling highlights which firmly established him as a star of the first magnitude.

Unbeaten at two, Smart Missile won the LR Breeders’ Plate (1000m) on debut and resumed in the autumn to defeat Sepoy and Foxwedge in the G3 Todman Stakes (1200m).  The Anthony Cummings trained colt was an equal favourite with Sepoy for the Golden Slipper but was dramatically scratched at the barrier after getting a leg caught over an upright.

Smart Missile returned at three as an odds-on favourite in the G3 Run to the Rose (1200m) and unleashed an unbelievable burst of speed from last to run down Foxwedge, Helmet and Karuta Queen.

He followed up with a close second to Manawanui in the G1 Golden Rose and rounded out a short six-start career in Melbourne with unplaced runs in the G1 Caulfield Guineas and G1 Sir Rupert Clark Stakes.

Arrowfield stands Smart Missile and he has covered over 600 mares in his first three books at a $22,000 (inc gst) service fee.

SMART MISSILE