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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Matthew Smith marvels at how Scalextrics has turned himself around in the past few months.

Trainer Matthew Smith (Pic: Bradley Photos)

A 32 length defeat at Taree at the end of April left Smith scratching his head, given how well he works, so he went back to the drawing board and the results speak for themselves.

The five-year-old is staring at five straight wins when he heads to Canterbury on Wednesday having climbed the ladder with victories at Goulburn, Nowra, Muswellbrook, and then Wyong since Smith decided to change things up.

“We’ve obviously tweaked a few things but keeping him happy is the key to that horse,’’ Smith said.

“He’s not a horse that likes to do too much work, he’s better when he’s on the fresh side.

“Prior to this winning streak he was very inconsistent, he’d run a good race then a bad race so we decided let’s not let him do too much work at home and see what happens.

“He’s had a couple of trips to the farm, I think that helps, a little bit of TLC and he’s turned the corner.”

Smith said Scalextrics, $9 with TAB on Tuesday in the Schweppes Handicap (1550m), struck him as a middle distance galloper in the early days but he’s currently relishing staying around 1400m to a mile.

“I always liked him but I always looked at him like a staying type of horse,’’ he said.

“He always worked like a horse that’d be better at a mile and a quarter, mile and a half but since we’ve backed off and freshened him up he’s been sharper.

“I wasn’t game to change anything when he’s got a winning sequence like he has at the moment. If he relaxes a bit he’ll go further but we’ll find that out another time.”

Jaden Lloyd has been on board for all four wins but Smith has elected to use the 3kg claim for in-form apprentice Zac Wadick on Wednesday.

The Warwick Farm trainer said while barrier one wouldn’t have been his first choice gate he says with the claim and the confidence up he will have his chance to measure up.

“I probably would prefer to be drawn out a little bit with this horse but he’ll land where he’s comfortable, keep it simple for Zac, and hopefully he can get out when he needs to,’’ he said.

“It’s a fairly even race where any number of horses could win it, Zac is riding very well and I thought it would give him a bit more help.”

Smith saved Flying Rani from an engagement at Wyong last weekend after coming up with a wide barrier, and she’s landed gate two in the TAB Handicap (1100m).

The lightly raced four-year-old was narrowly beaten at Scone first-up then charged home from the back into second behind Misty Legend at Wyong on July 20.

Scalextrics wins at Wyong on July 25

“She’s got a bit of weight but she’s a chance, she is working well and both her runs this prep have been good so we’ll see what happens,’’ he said.

“She looks like a filly that could win in town.”

Meanwhile, Smith’s top class sprinter Buenos Noches is set to have his first barrier trial for the preparation at Warwick Farm next Monday.

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting