Megastar In Sight As Smith Eyes Elusive Group 1

ELDERSLIE trainer David Smith is hoping upon hope to go one better when Cowgirl Ethics lines up for the Group 1 Sportsbet Dapto Megastar (520m) on Thursday night.

While Smith has owned Classy Ethics – a Group 1 winner in Queensland when trained by Jeff Crawford – as a trainer he has finished in the placings in a number of races of the highest order.

And that includes finishing second back in 2018 in the Megastar when Benkennie Chic chased home Zipping Tayla.

“We also finished second, third and fourth in the National Futurity,” he said of that personal exasperating run.

Cowgirl Ethics (Barcia Bale-Red Sox Ethics) chased home likely Megastar favourite Zipping Kyrgios in her heat last week when second at big odds.

“The final is a very interesting race,” said Smith.

Cowgirl Ethics will be set for the Group 1 Peter Mosman Opal heats at @WPGrey on July 3 following her slick 22.36 win over 400m at Bulli on Tuesday…

Read More: https://t.co/5xy9lyPAob#thedogs #wentypark #GreyhoundRacing pic.twitter.com/Tr4vbNKztJ

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) June 10, 2021

“There is nothing in the race that has that very special first section pace where you would be confident of leading.

“None of them have that special speed to lead a length and a half at the first turn.”

Smith knows Cowgirl Ethics can produce such pace.

“She did have that sort of pace early days but she broke a stopper and since she has come back to racing she has shown it only on occasions,” he said.

“It took Bandit Ned to run her down in the Group 3 Magic Maiden Final at Wentworth Park back in March.”

Cowgirl Ethics did show great pace at Wentworth Park when beating Manipulate in 29.84 leading throughout off the five box.

“She ran some pretty slick sections that night,” said Smith.

But he is wary of Cowgirl Ethics coming out of the eight for the final.

“It is hard to cross from the eight at Dapto and she will need to ping to do so,” said Smith. “However, they are predicting rain for the night and if that is the case then the inside could get a bit wet and that will help her chances.

“But I believe she can run 29.50 at Dapto and can break 17 seconds to the back. If she does, she will be right in the race.”

Of the Megastar line-up, Smith says star galloper Zipping Kyrgios is the obvious one to beat despite not being drawn favourably in the six.

“I do reckon Frank Hurst's Sound Of Silence is very well boxed off the red and will be hard to beat also,” he said.

Smith says Benkennie Chic has an eight month old litter of four by Fernando Bale. “And, yes, we kept them all,” he said.