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By Ray Hickson

There’s no doubt from trainer Matt Smith that emerging mare Idle Flyer has what it takes to win Saturday’s Group 3 $250,000 Asahi Super Dry Angst Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

Trainer Matthew Smith

But if she’s going to claim her first stakes success Smith is banking on Zac Lloyd making the right moves and getting at least his fair share of early luck from the outside barrier.

Smith said there’s nothing to be gained from asking Idle Flyer, $4.20 with TAB on Friday, to come from last and with the long run to the first turn at the Randwick mile you have to roll the dice.

“She’s been jumping really well and if she jumps like she has been it’s really difficult to drag them back,’’ he said.

“You work on getting them to jump and do things right and then you draw 15 and you think I’ll just ride them back but the horse can resent it.

“I would have thought she’s just going to roll forward and either it’ll be a miracle and after 150m you’ll go ‘hallelujah’ or you’ll go ‘we’re gone’.”

The four-year-old won her first two starts this preparation in impressive style then at her first run over the Randwick mile two weeks ago she couldn’t quite reel in Perfumist.

There’s a weight swing against Idle Flyer but Smith hopes there’s a little more pressure on the leader this time around because she’s had the right progression for the challenge ahead.

“In those Randwick miles three things have got to happen,’’ he said.

“You’ve got to have the right sequence of races going in to run the mile out strong.

“Your horse has got to control themselves and behave and get everything right in terms of getting to the gates and getting out cleanly.

“And you’ve got to have a jockey that knows the horse and can ride the Randwick mile well. Even then you still might not win.

“We tick the boxes, she’s done everything right to run well now we need a bit of luck from the gate.”

Idle Flyer did have to gallop in front of stewards last week after blood was found in one nostril post race from her last run. Smith isn’t sure where that came from but all indications are it was nothing of note.

The Warwick Farm trainer is content that Idle Flyer is ready for the step up to stakes grade again, she had two shots back in the autumn and he felt the occasion got to her.

“I think she did a lot wrong at the end of last season, she got herself really hot at the races,’’ he said.

“She couldn’t mentally cope with the pressure, because her work was great leading into those races but she cooked herself going to the gates.

“I think she’s come back mentally better, I don’t think she’s stronger but she’s more mature.”

Former Hong Kong galloper Beauty Charge jumps into the deep end in the Group 3 $2 million Toyota Forklifts Sydney Stakes (1200m) after a promising local debut on Epsom Day.

Smith said there wasn’t another option for the seven-year-old for a few weeks and given the progression he’s made since his first-up run there’s nothing to lose.

“When you have a horse that’s fit and well and ready to go you should go when they’re ready,” he said.

Idle Flyer runs second at Randwick on October 4

“The prizemoney is good, the owners want to see him go around and that’s why we’re there.

“He’s definitely improved with that run under his belt, he needed it. That’s why I put him in there, he surprised us a little bit with where he’s at now.”

Matthew Smith on World Alliance (race 10): “We haven’t tried him for some time at 1400m and he’s had the right prep to run it. Last time we tried it he wasn’t great but it was 12 months ago and we’ve got to have another shot.”

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