Matt Smith has been producing some significant-priced placegetters lately, but he cannot recall training a Saturday metropolitan winner at odds longer than the $101 chance Alice Mae.
Given little hope by the betting public, the mare shouldered her way clear from midfield and mounted a determined charge down the outside to claim the B&J Guttering & Metal Roofing Handicap (1800m) by three-quarters of a length over Shangri La Impact ($3.50).
Although Smith has had runners like Dezignation start at $151 when finishing as runner-up to Green Spaces in the ATC Australian Derby, he hasn’t had a runner score at triple-figure odds that he can recall.
“That might be the first. But I’ve had a run of 100-1 shots running second and third in the last twelve months, so it’s good to get one up,” Smith said.
“It was a bit of a shock, but we’ll take it.”
Alice Mae was having her seventh start of the preparation at Randwick in her first campaign with Smith.
While the victory was unexpected, Smith indicated he did anticipate a competitive run, as the five-year-old mare had been working into form and required time to build her fitness.
“It was just a matter of getting the miles into her,” Smith explained.
“She’s an older mare, and she has taken a while to get fit.
“She has never had a staying preparation before. We’re training her differently to what she would have been trained previously, and we’re giving her a chance to get over a bit of ground.”
Smith was also pleased with the effort of stablemate Hammoon Heroine, who finished sixth, and stated she would be a horse to watch when stepped out over further distances.
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