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By Ray Hickson

It won’t be long before trainer Matthew Smith has to look at stakes races with promising mare Tricky Gal but win, lose or draw at Warwick Farm on Wednesday that won’t be happening until the new year.

Trainer Matthew Smith (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The four-year-old takes a record of four wins and a second from five starts into The Agency Real Estate Handicap (1600m) and she’s the early favourite at $2.50 with TAB to improve on those stats.

Smith said Tricky Gal has done an amazing job in the past few months and wonders where her limit is.

“She’s on her first prep so it’s basically get her through the grades this prep, she’ll most likely have a break after this run and come back for the autumn,’’ he said.

“She surprised us first-up because we thought she’d need a run.

“She had trialled well and worked well but we thought she would be better second-up because she is quite a big mare. After she won first-up I wasn’t surprised to see her win again and again.

“Once they surprise you like that you think, 'hang on a minute you might be a bit better than we first thought'.’’

Tricky Gal rises 4.5kg on her last start win over the Warwick Farm mile earlier this month where she rounded them up from last beating Erno and Angel Of Heaven.

Punter’s Intelligence sectional data show she ran the fastest last 600m of 34.28 in that race and it’s significant she clocked 12.08 from the 800m-600m which was two lengths faster than her rivals for that 200m.

“I thought it was a very good effort, she popped out passing the 700m and made a long sustained run,’’ he said.

“She keeps finding a way to win. Every time you go up in grade it’s a test of where you are up to.

“It will be hard to win again. I don’t think she has had any favours in any of her races.

“Some horses will jump out and be one out one back and pop out and win the race – she’s never had a race like that.

“She’s been back and wide, she had to make a long run the other day. She’s a good mare no doubt about that.’’

Tricky Gal wins at Warwick Farm on October 7

Smith is hoping a return to the Warwick Farm 1000m will spark Rebel Miss to find some form in the Camera House Moving Pictures Handicap (1000m).

Rebel Miss ($23) hasn’t finished worse than fifth in five starts over that course but will again be relying on some luck.

“I can’t draw a gate with her, she has probably found her level in fairness,’’ he said.

“She has been working quite okay so I’ve just been trying to get a race but we keep drawing outside.’’

And he said Bentley Magic, in the Ribchester @ Darley Handicap (1200m), continues to race well and expects him to be competitive once again on Wednesday.

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday's Warwick Farm meeting