Renita Beaton, trainer on the Gold Coast, regards the upcoming Voodoo Ranger Handicap at Ipswich on Wednesday as the ideal third-up race for Smart As Smart, amplifying her annoyance at the poor barrier.

The six-year-old Smart Missile gelding, a past dual winner there, pulled the widest draw in the benchmark 70 over 1710m with 12 starters and an emergency.

Beaton may still enter him contingent on a handful of withdrawals occurring.

“We’ve had to run him from terrible draws in the past and he’s just been one of the most unlucky horses and I just don’t want to do that to his owners again,” Beaton said.

“Look, we might draw bad again next time and you have to go around, but if I can protect him for one more run I will.

“We’ll wait until tomorrow to see if there are any scratchings and if there is we may run him.”

In the event he lines up, Jace McMurray takes the mount with a 2kg allowance dropping to 59kg.

Smart As Smart resumed victorious in Class 5 at Doomben 1350m on April 1, then ran a short-head second rising to 1640m a fortnight hence.

Beaton, who claimed the gelding from Ron Quinton more than two years ago, praises his current sharpness and expects another reliable run third-up at any track.

“He’s in really good order, he’s always been such a consistent horse for me,” Beaton said.

“Every time I take him to the races he seems to show up and he’s very honest.

“He’s in very good order, he’s racing very well and consistently and there’s no reason why he won’t go and do that again.”

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