Super Smink slashed into clear Railway Stakes favourite after thumping win in Asian Beau Stakes at Ascot

She’d been promising that she might be, but Super Smink relieved any doubts about the top-line mare being back to her best when ripping home to take Saturday’s Group 3 $200,000 Hosemasters Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) at Ascot. The mare, a $3.10 TABtouch favourite, slid back through the field and was fifth last once settling as rank outsider veteran Massimo ($81) rolled along in front. Despite being three wide, Super Smink had plenty of cover and followed the move of Aztec Ruler ($18) into the bend as the leaders came under pressure. Peeling deep on the corner, jockey Chris Parnham only had to nudge Super Smink along to quickly conquer Aztec Ruler before finally cutting the ribbons with only 120m to go. Luvnwar ($21) zipped through nearer the inside to mount a challenge but mustered only vain pursuit of Super Smink, who scored by three-quarters of a length. It was her first win since October last year when winning the Belgravia Stakes and, after being unable to recapture her two-year-old dominance, provided trainer Dan Morton with both excitement and relief that the four-year-old had revived her best self. “It’s a bit of both, to be honest, it’s a long time between drinks when things aren’t going your way,” Morton said. “But we never lost faith in the mare and she’s going super behind the scenes. “Her first two runs have been excellent, and I was confident if she brought the same sort of effort here today, she’d be hard to beat. “Things don’t always go your way and that’s what happened with her for a couple of preps – it wasn’t smooth sailing – but we stuck to our guns and here we are.” “I’ve always been keen for her at the mile – I know she’s had her knockers at it – but it holds no fears for me and even further into a Northerly, that’s where we want to go. Super Smink, already favourite for the Railway Stakes (1600m) on November 23, tightened from $9 to $6 but is more generously priced at $15 for the Northerly Stakes (1800m) on December 7. “It was very comfortable – it was a cushy ride, and he got a nice run,” Morton said. “He stayed out of trouble – that was the main thing for me today – I said ‘we’ve still got the grand final, just don’t bash her up’. “Three weeks is a long time. It’s a lot of sleeps between now and a big race, which is nerve-wracking, but she’s a nice mare to handle. “I’ll probably get her out for a bit of r-‘n’-r for the first week and then just get back to the grind for the mile.” It was a Group 3 double on the day for hoop Chris Parnham after earlier roaring away with the $200,000 TABtouch Prince Of Wales Stakes (1000m) on Bravo Centurion. The untapped four-year-old, strongly tried into $2 favouritism, whizzed out of the gates to lead with ease. 500m out, he already had his rivals at it but was whistling along on the bridle and scorched into the straight nearly three lengths clear. From there, the margin only grew as the greenhorn took flight and decimated his opposition by four lengths. Parnham said the horse persists to raise the bar, with the gelding now a $7 third favourite for the Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) on November 30. “He’s a different horse to what he was from a fortnight ago,” Parnham said.