As a kid from Gundagai, many good qualities were engrained in Todd Smart, but two have shone through: his love of the Gundagai Tigers and his passion for horses. While travelling the camp draft and rodeo scene in his younger days, Smart grew up to be a trainer, learning his craft under the watchful eyes of John O’Shea, Colin Little, and Lloyd Williams before kicking off his own enterprise in Wagga.

With some success under his belt, Smart set his sights on the nation’s capital, where he quickly developed a reputation for capitalising on shrewd purchases. He has recently enjoyed success with up-and-coming star Love Shuck and handy gallopers Washington Towers, Tobermory, and Kelvedon Road. On Friday, Kelvedon Road will fly the stable’s black and gold colours in the time-honoured $100,000 Snake Gully Cup (1400m). Smart’s not yet won the race, but it’s at the top of his bucket list, and he explained what the race meant to him, his family, and the connections of the Canberra galloper.

“If we won, it would be unbelievable,” Smart said. “It would be awesome if I could do it in front of the hometown crowd with Gundagai owners and family there; it’s the race I’d most love to win. “Four of the owners are from Gundagai, and many of the guys in the horse from Canberra will stay at Mum and Dad’s for the weekend, and we’ll make a good trip of it. “If he did win, I don’t think I would be heading back home for a couple of days.”

Smart’s gallopers always have their supporters when racing at Gundagai, and that is because they compete in the black and gold colours made famous by the Gundagai Tigers in the Group 9 competition. Smart explained that it was merely coincidental that they raced in the Tiger’s colours, and he touched on his connection to 1998 Snake Gully Cup winner and local legend Carvalin, which was his late grandfather’s favourite horse.

“Our colours are the same as the Gundagai Tigers, and a lot of people think that’s why we race in them, but the reason is that they were worn by Carvalin, which was my favourite horse growing up, and he won the Snake Gully Cup,” Smart said.

“My grandfather Laurie (Smart) wasn’t in the horse or anything, but his mates were, and they would always celebrate a win. “He won 25 times, and they painted the town red each time, and it was a good time to be around racing. “Carvalin was a cult hero back in the day, and being around my grandfather and his friends, that’s what got me into racing, and it means a lot to be able to race in those colours.”

Smart will now look to write his chapter in the Snake Gully Cup history book with the lightly-raced Kelvedon Road. The five-year-old has oozed ability from the get-go, starting 15 times for five wins and four runner-up finishes.

As a three-year-old, the Star Witness gelding won the Canberra Guineas Prelude and finished second in the Albury Guineas. He’s now a proven commodity in Open Class and has been tested in Group and Metropolitan company, with Smart a big fan of the gelding and his engine. “He’s good enough to win a race like this,” Smart said.

“He can run up to 1600m, but he’s primed for the 1400m, and we’re excited to see him go around.”  Following a lengthy 53-week spell, Kelvedon Road won first-up at Moruya in late September, putting away a handy field of sprinters in a 1010m Open Handicap. He followed that effort up with a good second at Canberra when beaten by a long-neck by the impressive Vella Magic in the 1200m Community Chest Handicap. Earlier this month, he finished down the track in a 1300m Benchmark 78 Handicap at Rosehill Gardens, but Smart said Kelvedon Road was ready to bounce back in the snake Gully Cup.

“He is going as good as he was when he won first-up,” Smart said. “I just think he is right and ready to go over 1400m. “We put a line through his run last week in Sydney; it was an uncharacteristic run, and we’ve rectified the issue, and he is all good to go.”  It will be a tough assignment, with a stellar field set to contest Gundagai Adelong Racing Club’s biggest race of the season and arguably the biggest Country Cup south of Sydney.

“It won’t be easy; it’s going to be a quality field,” Smart said.

“It’s a Big Dance qualifier, and it gets you into the Canberra Community Chest. It will be interesting to see if all the Canberra horses go there, especially with the race the following week.  “Either way, you’ve got Gai (Waterhouse) and those trainers, so it’s going to be tough.” The community of Gundagai is buzzing ahead of its two-day carnival, which will see $599,000 in prize money on offer across races such as the Snake Gully Cup, The Tuckerbox, and the Hair of the Dog Cup. “It’s awesome for the town, and I always see myself as a Gundagai boy and always will, and the town is renowned for the Snake Gully Cup and this carnival,” Smart said.

“It brings so much money into the community, and people want to win these races, and trainers come from everywhere to race at Gundagai; it’s the place to be.”  Smart will keep Jordan Mallyon in the saddle for Friday’s race, and connections will be praying for a soft draw when the final fields are published on Wednesday.

Click here for more on the Snake Gully Cup carnival.

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Todd Smart eyes full circle moment in Snake Gully Cup  – NSW Country and Picnic Racing