DAVID Smith trained 194 winners in 2025 and with 158 winners so far this year is producing another stellar performance which is poised to continue at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
The Elderslie (Camden) trainer has 13 runners, Fancy Pay Cheque, Fantasy Ethics, Monsoon Ethics, Swift Wind, Mustang Ethics, Goofy Ethics, Calypso Ethics, Rugged Ethics, Glitzy Ethics, Radiant Ethics, Flash Ethics, Super Sassy and Shirley's Ethics, who was among his quartet of winners at Wentworth Park on August 22.
He believes Shirley's Ethics, who has box one in Saturday's Nick & Sash Appreciation 520m fifth grade, is his best prospect.
She recorded a personal best 29.50 in her win from box eight at Wentworth Park last Saturday and is rated highly by her trainer.
"She turned two in March but has had only a dozen races because she had a serious setback due to a toe injury.
"As a puppy Shirley's Ethics was clocking fast time and at her first start at Bulli in June, she won over 400m in 22.36 on a very slow track, after she had been trialing in just over 22sec flat.”
"Probably my next best chance on Saturday is Monsoon Ethics, who has box one in the Steve Noyce Appreciation Stakes.”
Monsoon Ethics had box three when he won by five lengths in 29.78 at Wentworth Park last Saturday and has had two wins and two placings in four outings wearing the red rug.
Al's Memory was among the slowest qualifiers for Saturday's Panetta Cup, a 520m fifth grade final, but he was unlucky not to win his heat on September 17.
Al's Memory missed the start completely last week and found trouble at the first turn before rocketing home to be beaten less than a length by Zipping Chicago in 30.10.
Trainer Mark Wilcox said, "Al's Memory has always been a bad box dog but doesn't usually come out as poorly as he did in the heats.”
"He has always been a fast dog, and I reckon in a solo trial he could get down to 29.50."
"Despite his bad start in his heat he was just getting wound up when he struck trouble at the first turn.
"I like his box three draw on Saturday and if he can lob midfield out of the boxes, I'll be happy.”
Shadow Assassin will be chasing his seventh straight win when he lines up from box one for trainer Blake Moroney in Saturday's Follow RPV Image 520m fifth grade.
Moroney will use Saturday's race as a guide to Shadow Assassin's credentials for the $30,000 to the winner Young Star at Wentworth Park on October 10 and 16.
"I didn't really want box one with Shadow Assassin because he drew there at Wentworth Park in July and he missed the kick and finished fourth, although he is going a lot better now.'' Moroney said.
"When he won in fast time at The Gardens at his most recent start, he collided briefly with his kennelmate soon after the boxes opened but then he shifted off the track on the first turn.”
Shadow Assassin has recorded fastest time of the meeting in each of his past six wins, but Moroney concedes his brilliant speedster faces stiff opposition on Saturday from Psycho Circus (box two) and Absconding (box five).
Saturday's top grade 520m Mark Hughes Foundation Stakes is an open affair with the Mark Gatt-trained Ritza Tiana likely to secure a better run than her box four draw would indicate.
Joanne, who has box three, is a keen railer while Winsome Storm, in five, is a slow beginner, so Ritza Tiana should only need to begin cleanly to be prominent at the first turn.
Ritza Tiana boasts a marvelous Wentworth Park record of 10 wins and seven placings from 21 appearances with two wins and two placings from five races wearing the blue rug.
