Mister Smartee becomes Australasia’s latest millionaire with Nullarbor win

Rising star Mister Smartee won the biggest race to date of his burgeoning career when powering home to take out the $1.25 million, Group 1 Nullarbor at Gloucester Park on Friday night, defeating a number of the sport’s established stars in the process.

Aided by a tactically perfect drive from Gary Hall Jnr, the lightly raced son of Always B Miki was able to finish over the top of the big guns Minstrel and Swayzee and then hold out the fast finishing Gee Heza Sport to score by almost a length.

The Gary Hall Snr trained 5-year-old has forged an impressive record with 17 wins now from just 22 starts, including last season’s Group 1 Golden Nugget, and his champion trainer clearly sees a big future ahead of him, rating him second only to the 14-time Group 1 winner Im Themightyquinn in terms of the best horse that he’s trained.

Mister Smartee’s slice of the Nullarbor’s prizemoney boosted his stakes earnings to $1,090,770 – making him Always B Miki’s first Southern Hemisphere millionaire.

Bred by Dancingonmoonlight Limited, Mister Smartee is out of the unraced Stonebridge Regal mare Luna Danza, a daughter of the two-time Group 1 winner Lento.