Len Smith, the oldest trainer in South Australia, with horse Vonrob.
Source: AdelaideNow
LEN Smith’s experience has paid dividends with Lloyd Williams’ “reject”, Instructor.
The seven-year-old son of Pins contests today’s Listed Birthday Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on the back of an upset victory in the Strathalbyn Cup three weeks ago, at just his third start for the trainer known as the “King of Cheltenham”.
Punters gave Instructor little hope at Strathalbyn, but a cool Clare Lindop ride and the unbridled talent of her mount delivered the feature event.
“He was bought to run in the Darwin Cup, but he hated the sand track,” Smith said.
“He didn’t show his real form up there but is enjoying life by the sea.”
Smith, who turns 83 on Monday, lives at Semaphore Park in a house bought with wife Peg in the 1950s from the earnings from his first big-race winner, Murdect. But while Murdect may have provided the bricks and mortar for their stable, star stayer Skybeau provided the heartbeat of their training operation.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
The son of Dohar became a national icon after contesting five consecutive Melbourne Cups, running third in the first in 1996 behind Saintly and gaining a cheque in three others.
Over those 60 years at Semaphore, the husband and wife team built an affinity with Cheltenham racecourse and was at the forefront of the battle to stop the sale of their local track.
Peg, who has a birthday today, has been convalescing for some time from a massive stroke and with Smith rarely from her side, daughter Marilyn has taken on some of the horse-care.
Smith, who lectures at the horseracing course at TAFE, previously held a training licence in her married name, Marilyn Stephan, and had success with talented galloper Corregidor, who won the 1997 Listed Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich. Smith agrees Instructor is a rejuvenated horse in SA.
“He’s a bit of a sook really and just didn’t like the hot, steamy weather in Darwin,” she said.
“Clare (Lindop) rode him brilliantly at Strath and that helped, but the win wasn’t a shock to us.
“He’s shown us enough in his work and this race is the next logical step.”
Instructor is on the fourth line of Birthday Cup betting, at $9.50 with TattsBet, with Tony McEvoy’s stable star Foxham favourite at a solid $3.
Instructor’s next target is the Listed Port Cup (2250m), now run at Morphettville Parks.
The race was formerly a feature of the Cheltenham calendar and was run 100 times, with Smith winning it in consecutive years (1971 and 72) with Caliente.
“Dad would love to win that race again,” Smith said.
“It has very special memories for him.”