Written by Paul Vettise
Annabel Neasham’s solo training career got away to a flying start at Scone, but it wasn’t a pretty watch as Commanding Missile (Smart Missile) showed his inexperience before raw talent got him home.
Neasham saddled her first runner on Tuesday following a successful stint looking after the Sydney arm of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s Sydney operation.
Sent out a ruling favourite, Commanding Missile began only fairly for rider Brodie Loy and settled midfield on the fence. They received a bump trying to get into the open in the straight, but once in clear air the 3-year-old lengthened stride to hit the front 100 metres from home.
“He gave me another scare before the line, it looked like he was shying at the winning post,” Neasham said.
“It was a good ride from Brodie and obviously he was a little bit slow away, but that probably suited him and he was able to get balanced up. It’s good to get the monkey off the back.”
Commanding Missile has been a work in progress and is still raw and Neasham saw the roomy Scone layout as ideal for the gelding.
“That was the aim, to give him a nice experience and the big track helped to do exactly that,” Neasham said.
“That was the aim, to give him a nice experience and the big track helped to do exactly that.” – Annabel Neasham
She also paid tribute to the part Loy had played and continuing a strong association she has had with the jockey.
“Brodie did a lot of work when I was with Ciaron and he’s out a Warwick Farm a lot and I wouldn’t have put anyone else on him. He has been a big help and hopefully he can continue to ride more winners for me.”
Brodie Loy
Commanding Missile is the first representative of the Bel Esprit mare Ocean Tempest to race and the dam is out of a half-sister to the Group 1 winners and sires Hurricane Sky and Umatilla.
The stallion theme continues through the pedigree as it’s the family of the champion Redoute’s Choice and his brother Manhattan Rain, their half-brother Echoes Of Heaven and also of Rubick.
“I have to give a big thanks to Josiah Ma, who owns him, it’s quite a big thing to give a rookie trainer their first horse and I’m very grateful to him,” Neasham said.
“I’ve got 16 horses at the moment, mostly babies, and there will be a few more by the end of the week. I’ve got 40 boxes so I just have to work hard and try and fill them up.”
