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By Mark Brassel

Port Macquarie trainer Tas Morton will be chasing his second Akubra Kempsey Cup in three years on Friday with evergreen eight-year-old Mister Smartee.

Morton claimed the 2020 Cup when the gelding powered away to score before finishing just behind the placegetters last year.

Mister Smartee has only raced at Kempsey four times for two wins, a second and a fourth in the 2021 Cup.

Mister Smartee (Jean Van Overmeire) canters to the barriers at Rosehill Gardens. Image by Bradley Photographers

“He should be unbeaten around Kempsey,” Morton declared. “He bolted in the first time he went around there and broke a 25-year-old course record.

“The next time I had an apprentice on him and he went via the outside fence around the home turn and was a very unlucky second.

“Then in last year’s Cup he was wide all the way and was outsprinted before finishing strongly.

“He’s a horse that has to ridden the correct way so I’ve booked Peter Graham as he’ll suit him and will ride the horse how I’d like.

“He’s one-paced and I’ll tell Peter to dig him out the barriers and take off at the 650m as he will run the same pace. If he takes off at the right moment, they will be flat out catching him.”

Mister Smartee has followed a similar preparation to the past couple of years, running in the Hastings Cup on his home track before starting in Taree’s Krambach Cup.

In both races this year Mister Smartee has finished within a length of the winner, running fourth at Port and third at Taree.

“He drew barrier 11 of 12 at Port Macquarie and Tommy Berry [jockey] came back and said if he draws a decent barrier he wins.

“The horse is spot on for the Kempsey Cup and is jumping out of his boots.”

Morton added he has a couple of young horses trialling at Coffs Harbour and all things going well, will start one or both in the Country Boosted Maiden [1000m] at Kempsey.

Kempsey Race Club’s CEO, John Graham said they are expecting a crowd of nearly 3000 for Akubra Kempsey Cup Day which is a Racing NSW Country Showcase Day offering $262,000 in prizemoney.

“We will be welcoming our biggest crowd in years following COVID restrictions and the bushfire that called off our meeting in 2019,” he said.

“Akubra Hats still sponsor the Cup and have done so for over 40 years.”

Graham has been involved with KRC since 1977 as treasurer and then secretary from 1980.

“Things have certainly changed since then,” he said. “Our track is looking a picture for Cup Day and the town is already buzzing.”

Mr Graham also thanked his raceday sponsors Akubra Hats, Kempsey Macleay RSL, O’Donnell & Hanlon Construction, Crystalite and the Sea Breeze Hotel at South West Rocks.

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Ballina, Corowa
Tuesday: Muswellbrook, Taree (non-TAB), Dubbo (non-TAB), Moruya (non-TAB), Murwillumbah (non-TAB), Tamworth (non-TAB)
Wednesday: Grafton
Friday: Kempsey, Albury
Saturday: Goulburn, Leeton (non-TAB)
Sunday: Armidale, Warren