“TIME” FOR A SMASHING CITY HAT-TRICK

CO-TRAINER Luke Price says the penny has finally dropped with Smashing Time.

And he’s confident the talented sprinter can clinch a hat-trick when he next goes back to town.

The Brave Smash four-year-old, who races in the Australian Bloodstock colours, made it two city wins on end with another polished performance at Rosehill Gardens yesterday.

With talented apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald’s 3kg claim, Smashing Time ($2.25 favorite) quickly burnt through to take up the running in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m) – and thereafter was never threatened.

He easily defeated Zounaka ($6.50) and Hawkesbury trainer Marc Chevalier’s Xpresso ($11).

It was the gelding’s fifth victory at his 21^st start – and he has certainly come of age!

“Smashing Time was a bit frustrating early on, but is now showing the ability we always knew he had,” Luke Price said today.

“The penny has finally dropped.”

Price and his Kembla Grange co-trainer father Rob chose to put blinkers on Smashing Time early last month after he had been narrowly beaten as an odds-on favorite at home when resuming in a 1200m Benchmark 64 Handicap on April 18 after showing blistering speed.

The move paid an instant dividend when the gelding outpaced his rivals in a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m) at Gosford’s metropolitan stand-alone meeting on May 9.

Not only did he return to the winning list, but set a new track record.

Smashing Time had not raced for five weeks when he went to Rosehill yesterday – and it was Team Price’s plan to do that.

“He seems to thrive keeping him on the fresh side,” Luke Price said.

“Smashing Time will go out for a few days, and come back to the stable midweek.

“We will look for another suitable race in town in a few weeks, and I’m confident he can complete a hat-trick.

“Whilst he is winning at 1200m, I feel he will manage 1400m as well.”

Smashing Time is the first horse Team Price has trained for Australian Bloodstock after they paid $180,000 for him at the 2023 Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast.

Australian Bloodstock raced his sire Brave Smash, who won two Group 1s and was placed in the 2017 The Everest at Royal Randwick, and bred Smashing Time.

Even then the Price boys didn’t think he would race in the syndicator’s colours.

“Smashing Time had chondritis (an inflammatory condition affecting the cartilages in the larynx) as a yearling,” Luke Price explained.

“He didn’t need surgery, but was treated for the condition and it cleared up.

“Australian Bloodstock came to Rob a month later at the Inglis Classic sale in Sydney, and bought into him.

“They have always had a good opinion of Brave Smash, and got some friends and clients involved to race Smashing Time in partnership with our clients.”

. Newcastle apprentice Shannen Llewellyn also was successful at Rosehill – and the Saturday triumph on well-supported Hollywood Gold ($9.50) meant a lot to her.

Quirindi-trained Hollywood Gold, despite a wide run, was too good for his rivals in the TAB Highway (1400m).

“Hollywood Gold was my first winner without a country claim, and he is also my first Highway inner in town,” Llewellyn said.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, JUNE 14, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS