Gareth Smith returns to training ranks with a bang

By Jordan Gerrans

Gareth Smith has returned to the regional Queensland training ranks with a bang and he might just have a carnival contender for the winter months of 2023.

Hailing from Cloncurry and now preparing his small team out of Townsville, Smith recorded his first winner since April of 2015 on Thursday afternoon at Cluden Park with the progressive Le Vizir.

Smith claimed a Mt Isa Cup in his earlier stint training as Hillstand won the famous North West staying race back in 2009.

While Smith did not start a horse in his own name for almost eight years, he was still connected to the industry as an owner alongside his father David.

That is why he eventually returned to preparing his own team.

“We have had horses with other trainers, mainly horses for my father being trained by the likes of Ricky Vale and Billy Kenning,” Smith said.

“My old man is getting older and is nearly ready to retire so I said to him that I would get my licence back and take a couple for him.

“A couple of other horses have come along, as well, since.”

Le Vizir was a strong winner in the Open Handicap over 1400 metres on Thursday at Cluden Park and now looks to have a number of options through the upcoming northern winter carnival.

The gelding was having just his second run in NQ after previously doing his racing with the Snowden family in Sydney.

Owned by the Jorgensen clan in Cairns, Smith says there is a few ways Le Vizir could head over the coming months.

He believes the five-year-old chestnut could target the famous Cleveland Bay Handicap at Cluden Park or the Cairns Newmarket further north.

Or, they could potentially go the other way and stretch him out to a mile or even 2000 metres later in the carnival.

“We always thought he had above average ability and his form shows that,” the trainer said.

“At Mackay the other day, that was a great first run in the area.

“We knew on Thursday that he needed an even tempo and he would be pretty hard to beat, even though he was a Class 4 horse in an Open event.

“He is just hard to place with his form from down south and with his rating, as well.

“While it was not ideal to throw that many classes away, he got the job done and it was a pretty good win.”

Le Vizir came from back in the field to finish over the top and score by half a length on Thursday.

Le Vizir will now head towards a Class 6 Handicap over the same trip later this month at Townsville.

Smith is mindful of getting Le Vizir’s rating up enough to get into the required feature races over the carnival while also not being lugged with too much weight in them.

It was almost a double for the returning Smith stable on Thursday with maidener Laide running second earlier in the program. 

Laide was previously prepared by respected horseman Barry Lockwood in Brisbane and was having her third NQ run.

“She was on the quick back-up and I think she will be good enough to win a race soon,” Smith said.

Smith is still a regular in Cloncurry – working a week off and week on roster in the mines – and tends to his gallopers when he is home in Townsville.