Blueblood Dazzles On Debut For Smith

DAVE Smith had a day out at Bulli on Tuesday with a winning double and a couple of placings, and produced a son of former star Miss Splendamiro to win on debut.

Tarawi Rocky (Fernando Bale-Miss Slpendamiro) led throughout to win a 340m maiden in 19.20 as the $2.10 favourite.

“Both the dog and I were a bit nervous before the race,” said Dave.

Tarawi Rocky had been trialling well enough for Smith to be confident of a first-up success so he backed that confidence with hard-earned cash.

“We got good odds early, but the dog was having his first race experience, and he was a bit nervous,” said Dave.

“Fortunately he got the job done.

“We can't be certain about him getting 500 metres in the future, but he got to the line strongly on debut.”

Smith trains the youngster for Lorraine Atchison a greyhound racing stalwart who bought Tarawi Rocky as a pup from breeders Michael Phillips and David Blench.

Everyone remembers the great chaser Miss Splendamiro…

Yesterday at Bulli, she had her first progeny to race, a dog named Tarawi Rocky – and he won!

He has big paws to fill, but winning his first start is a great way to begin.

Full Results: https://t.co/S2PPVS1PDT#thedogs pic.twitter.com/3Ml4ZbK0Fc

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) August 17, 2022

Miss Splendamiro won the Group 3 Ladies Bracelet and the Bathurst Cup but was a multiple Group 1 placegetter, in the Brisbane Cup and Paws Of Thunder, and finalist twice in the Golden Easter Egg as well as the Australian Cup and Sapphire Crown.

While Dave Smith was nervous about Tarawi Rocky's debut, he is the same about providing Group 1 National Distance final favourite Super Estrella.

“The 16-day gap between the state final and the national final is not ideal and I've had to plan a couple of trials for her in between,” he said.

“It is always my training program to keep her a little bit fresh.”

Super Estrella is a $1.60 in betting in the National Distance Championship to deliver Smith his first group 1 title.