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By Ray Hickson

As much as trainer Matthew Smith is keen for his exciting stayer Aethelwulf to extend his picket fence at Randwick on Saturday he’s not underestimating the job ahead.

Trainer Matthew Smith (Pic: Bradley Photos)

After debating whether to send the four-year-old to Melbourne, the heavy conditions there have kept him home for the Group 2 $750,000 Asahi Super Dry Metropolitan (2400m) which Smith says represents his first serious test.

Aethelwulf started this preparation as a maiden, winning at Newcastle in June, and has scooted through the grades highlighted by his Newcastle Cup win last month.

The Metropolitan may no longer be a Group 1 but Smith said he’s about to find out just how good the gelding might be.

“It’s a big job ahead of him, I want to see him win but most horses get to a level and get beaten,” Smith said.

“I don’t know if we’ve found that level yet but he’s taking on some pretty nice horses.

“I can’t fault him, he’s really well. He hasn’t raced that often, his races have been spaced and that’s why he handling it so well.”

Smith said it’s easy for some to forget Aethelwulf, $2.25 with TAB on Friday, has only raced seven times and that’s why he’s wary of thinking too many steps ahead.

Thoughts of races like the Metropolitan and Melbourne Cup were barely on the radar when he won that first race four months ago.

If he does win again Smith hopes it’s as impressively as every other time, as he’ll need a penalty if he wants to consider pressing on to Melbourne.

His five wins have come by 5-1/4 lengths, 6-1/2 lengths, five lengths, 2-1/4 lengths and 2-1/2 lengths in that Newcastle Cup.

“You’ve got to keep looking after the horse and make sure you’re not bottoming him out, he’s only on his second prep and he only had one run in his first prep,’’ he said.

“He’s not a seasoned campaigner, he’s very lightly raced.

“He has a very economical action, it helps, he travels comfortably at those tempos and it seems to be easy for him. When you get up in grade the easy becomes a bit harder.”

The Warwick Farm trainer already knows what comes next for his classy sprinter Headwall who rounds out his Everest build up in the Group 2 $1 million Precise Air Premiere Stakes (1200m).

A first-up second behind Tempted in the Concorde showed the gelding had returned from a year off the scene well and after running the fastest last 600m in the Shorts he was secured for the Everest by Max Whitby and his partners.

“He’s drawn a good gate and he will run very well, he’s going super,’’ Smith said.

“He’s right up to those horses, I’m not worried about the opposition, he just needs the right run.

“The pressure’s off, we’re in the Everest, he can run and run well and then he’ll turn up in the Everest fourth-up cherry ripe and ready to go.

“When you’re off a long time you can’t underestimate the value of race fitness.”

Stablemate Golden Straand is being thrown in the deep end on the back of his first-up win and Smith is quietly confident he will run well though he’s not been handed any favours by the draw.

“We’re tying to see where he’s up to and now he’s drawn badly we probably won’t get much of a guide. He’s fit and well and we’ll see what happens,’’ he said.

Aethelwulf wins the Newcastle Cup

Matthew Smith on Queen’s Gamble (race 6): “It didn’t go to plan at all last time, I didn’t take anything out of that at all. It’s a small field, I’ll have to have a chat to Tommy (Berry) and see what we do tactics wise. You’ve got a good run in at the Randwick mile, she’s going really well and I think she is up to that grade.”

On Idle Flyer (race 8): “She loves the Randwick mile. It’s a pretty even race, plenty of chances can win it, and the run you get it going to determine the result. She will have to do it tough to win from there but you never know. Luck in running is the key, you can have a bad draw and all of a sudden you can land a few pairs back three deep with cover, if you land there you’re pretty happy. Her last run was very good, I think she’s back on song.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting