Smith in race against time for Country Cups Challenge Final

By Glenn Davis

Rockhampton trainer Fred Smith is in a race against time but is hopeful former Brisbane sprinter Mocambo can make it to the big dance in the Country Cups Challenge Final at Doomben in November.

Smith is desperate to meet the strict qualifying conditions for the $200,000 Final with Mocambo who lines up in the Country Cups Challenge qualifier over 1850 metres at Emerald on Saturday.

The eight-year-old Mocambo - a Chris McIver mount – is chasing a hat-trick of wins after bolting in at Rockhampton in late August and a win at Yeppoon on September 24.

“I’m racing the clock with him to get him to the Final in Brisbane but he should be hard to beat at Emerald,” Smith said.

“Unfortunately, he hasn’t met the qualifying conditions yet and we need to run him in a few more country races to qualify.

“My daughter, Samantha, is a part-owner and she’s sorted the races coming up for him at Gladstone, Yeppoon and Mackay.”

The 67-year-old Smith has only two horses in work after cutting back on his numbers in recent times.

“I had nine in work not long ago but I decided to cut back and I only have two in work now,” Smith said.

“I’ve been training for a long time and before that I was a horse breaker.”

Mocambo joined Smith in July after a previous stint with Deagon trainer Michael Lakey.

“Mick had him when he was a younger horse before he hurt himself, so he sent him up to me," Smith said.

Having a Brisbane runner won’t be new for Smith whose best horse, Motorised, won at Doomben in 2014.

“I won a lot of races with Motorised who was the best horse I’ve trained,” Smith said.

“He won at Doomben and was one of three winners Brad Stewart rode on the same day at Doomben, Gold Coast and Toowoomba.

“We’ll be pushing it to make the Final but we’re giving it a go.”

Smith has named the Glenda Bell-trained Knife’s Edge as the main threat to Mocambo winning for the third time in six starts since joining his stable.