Amos Aims up for Bigger Goals with Smart New Acquisition

Home Hill trainer Darby Amos is confident one-time Hong Kong prospect Outsmarted can take a step towards a carnival campaign with a win at Cluden Park on Tuesday.

Outsmarted turned in a ripping first-up third for Amos at Cluden last month and is a leading contender in the Great Northern Brewing Co. BM75 Hcp (1200m).

A winner of four of his nine starts, the Written Tycoon gelding was snapped up by prominent Charters Towers owner and strong stable support Sue Hammer in an on-line auction.

Amos, who just celebrated his 39th birthday on Friday, believes the five-year-old could be carnival material and has set an immediate goal of The Fitzroy in Rockhampton on May 3.

“His first up run was very good. It was good to just see where he was at, but when he hit line so well Sue and I were both pretty excited,” Amos said.

“I thought we only have to win a couple and we might get a shot at the Cleveland Bay.

“We’ll keep pressing on with him and see where it goes. We’ve got Tahlia Fenlon on this week and she’s in really good form.

“We’re pretty confident going into it.

“He’s had a little break between runs and I’ve taken my time. We’re in no rush, and he’s come along in leaps and bounds.

“We’ll tackle this one and our goal at the moment is to head to the Fitzroy in Rocky.

“It’s still a month away so we’ll need another run in  between and then see if he can measure up for carnival.”

Earlier in his career Outsmarted was sought for Hong Kong after winning his first two starts for Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou in NSW.

But the sale fell through and he raced on in Queensland before again being offered for sale.

Amos said the gelding had not initially been on the stable’s radar during the sale.

“He was passed in. Sue and I both overlooked him because being a five-year-old we’re not normally interested. We’re looking at three and four-year-olds.

“But Sue said she liked him and I said throw in an offer and it went from there.”

Amos has had a scaled back team through the wet but will saddle up Arancia, who he expects to run well in the Mitavite Mdn Hcp (1200m), and middle distance performer Release Le Missile in the Ladbrokes BM65 Hcp (1400m).

Meanwhile, Townsville-trained Burlington Arcade heads a crack field of three-year-olds in one of the races of the day, the Hygain QTIS Hcp (1200m).