Donny Smith has long-term Queensland Derby ambitions with promising gelding Sitting On Eight but the Redcliffe trainer is keen to knock over a couple of feature events along the way.
The son of Downbytheseaside won his second event on the bounce on Friday evening of last week in a heat of the rich Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale Classic series for the two-year-old boys.
The in-form youngster heads into Saturday’s $125,000 decider as one of the main fancies as he will be guided by leading reinsman Pete McMullen.
Sitting On Eight put in a stirring performance in the heat last week, going straight past the race favourite Pure Grunt in the concluding stages.
Pure Grunt entered the heat with a much more imposing resume compared to Smith’s juvenile.
He placed fourth in the Group 1 Protostar during the Queensland winter last year, third in the Group 3 Wayne Wilson Memorial Paleface Adios Classic as well as running second from an awkward draw in the rich Victorian race for babies in April at Melton.
In August of this year, Pure Grunt ran into third in the Group 1 QBRED Triad final for his age and gender.
So, for Sitting On Eight to go straight past him in the heat, the 65-year-old Smith was tickled pink with the result.
“He performed above expectations, actually,” Smith said of the heat triumph.
“He was given a new type of race for him, being able to sit on a horse and sprint.
“He did the job superbly. He has pulled up magnificent really and it is like he has found a new gear that he didn’t know he had. He is really going well.”
Pure Grunt has drawn the four on the front line for Saturday’s feature decider while Smith is also wary of Rickie Alchin’s Kiki Meister who claimed the other heat last week.
McMullen – known as Leader Pete – will start from the second row behind Sitting On Eight and the multiple Group 1-winning mentor says the draw should work well for his young charge.
Following on from Saturday’s feature event and looking into the winter of 2026, the smiling Redcliffe horseman thinks a race such as the Queensland Derby would suit Sitting On Eight down to the ground.
After initially being prepared by Doug Hewitt in the Sunshine State, Sitting On Eight has been ultra consistent since transferring to Smith’s barn.
He has recorded three victories and five minor placings under Smith’s care.
The hard-working conditioner says his promising two-year-old has started to fit into his routine better in recent times.
“It is more maturity, as the time has gone on he has slowly got the idea that he needs to do what we want him to do and not what he thinks he wants to do,” he said.
“It is just a maturity thing and it just didn’t come straight around for him.
“He has Derby horse written all over him, I think.
“That is the obvious project when he turns three as he is showing the potential to mix it with the big boys.
“That is what we will aim to do, for sure.”
Saturday evening’s program from Albion Park is the kick-off point for The Starlights, which is the Queensland Summer Harness Carnival.
With a glut of Group racing set to be contested over the coming weeks, Smith says series’ such as the Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale Classic is crucial for the local Queensland industry.
A handful of rich races will be held at Albion Park on Saturday night following on from the Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale.
“It is very important,” he said.
“Most trainers and owners locally probably don’t get the chance because of the talent of their horses to race in Derbies or those big races.
“To have these sales races, it is very important for the industry.
“This Saturday night, we are going for around $100,000 and that gives the locals a great opportunity to race for some good money.”
As well as Sitting On Eight in the younger division, the stable will also have My Ultimate Felix in the three-year-old race for the boys.
My Ultimate Felix finished fifth in last week’s heat and will need to contend with a second row draw over 1660 metres on Saturday evening.
As well as the Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale races this Saturday, the Listed Be Good Johnny Sprint will also headline the program.
On top of his couple of smart juveniles, Smith also has high hopes for Cheerstolou and Rocket City through The Starlights.
“He is yet to be proven in the top grade, but I am sure Rocket City will handle himself well in the high grade,” he said.
“We have also just got Cheerstolou up from Victoria and he is still reasonably well graded.
“I am pretty sure Cheerstolou will go through the grades and may even be good enough for the higher standard open company down the track.”
Rocket City will be chasing his fourth win in five starts at Albion Park on Saturday evening.
Cheerstolou arrived as a nine-time winner from Victoria and has already scored one for his new camp.
