Comeback king Silentz claims $100,000 Mt Barker Sprint for trainer Lindsey Smith

Top trainer Lindsey Smith claimed his second $100,000 Mt Barker Sprint (1300m) in three years, with WA newcomer Silentz winning in emphatic fashion at Mt Barker Turf Club on Sunday. Smith won the feature race in 2019 with Reykjavik, who was transferred to his Melbourne-based stable just a few months later. However, this victory with Silentz completed a remarkable comeback story. Silentz was retired after being injured in 2019 but racing first-up for Smith, 659 days after his last start, the gelding powered to victory. “We had to get him out of retirement,” Smith said. “The owners said he was a good horse but obviously he broke down. “The Perth stable has done a good job with him and being in the heavy sand helped his issues. It was quite a strong win in the end.” Joseph Azzopardi picked up the ride on the former Eastern States galloper after Brad Rawiller was injured in a nasty fall at Bunbury on Wednesday. It was Azzopardi’s only ride of the day and he gave the seven-year-old a perfect trip throughout, settling near last before coming with a wide run around the home corner. Silentz surged to the lead inside the final 150m and pulled away from the field as he went on to win by 2.4 lengths over Diablerie and Flow was back in third. Favourite Skinnen Tins, ridden by William Pike, was back in seventh. The former Victorian galloper, who has won races at Flemington and Caulfield, carried the equal most weight by any winner of the Mt Barker Sprint with 58.5kg. Smith will consider setting Silentz for the Listed Bunbury Stakes (1400m) in March. The gelding has been at Smith’s WA stable for four to five months and has thrived in the environment. “We just wanted to build him back into his work and strengthen him up after having such a long time off,” Smith’s Perth stable manager Donna Riordan said. “He has thrived in the heavy sand and I think that’s made the difference to getting him up and going again. “It’s fabulous for the owners they have been very patient and trusted us with the horse.”