Vicbred ‘freebie’ proves a Smartt investment

A horse out of a mare who was given away with a free service is proving one of the emerging success stories of the Vicbred scheme. He is the three-year-old Auckland Reactor gelding Bandit Eyes, who was bred and is raced by Deans Marsh couple Brett and Janet Smartt. The gelding won at his second start as a two-year-old last season at Geelong, was spelled and is now being readied for a three-year-old campaign by Beeac horsewoman Courtney Slater. The Geelong success netted Smartt a cool $12,360, with the $4,560 winner’s cheque, $7,000 Vicbred First Win Bonus and $800 Vicbred Breeder Bonus as a two-year-old only race.

“Courtney told us that she believes Bandit Eyes has a bright future,” Brett said.

Smartt received a service to Auckland Reactor, donated by Alabar Bloodstock, from a Harness Breeders Victoria member draw in 2017.

“I didn’t have a mare at the time, so I asked a friend Ian Slater to look around for one for me,” Smartt said. “The following day Ian told me that Rob Gaylard had a mare that he didn’t want to breed from any more.”

It was Canyopera, an Armbro Operative mare who won four races at the Victorian provincials. The dam of an earlier winner in Twobobjack, Canyopera failed to get into foal in 2017 but the following year conceived to Auckland Reactor and Bandit Eyes is the result. Canyopera has since produced a yearling gelding by Guaranteed. Bandit Eyes is only the second foal ever bred by the Smartts. The first one was Village Lover, a winner at Mildura in January for Kate Attard.

Story originally published at thetrots.com.au on 26 April 2023 - HERE