A horse who failed as a jumper 10 months ago is set to provide the fairytale story of the Standish Handicap, the feature summer sprint at Flemington.Adelaide trainer Jim Smith has transformed five-year-old Bold Moves, who was beaten 35 lengths in a Ballarat Hurdle in March, into a genuine contender for Thursday's Group Three event over 1200 metres.Formerly trained at Mornington by David Brideoake, Bold Moves joined Smith's stable when it became apparent he wasn't going to make the grade as a jum
A horse who failed as a jumper 10 months ago is set to provide the fairytale story of the Standish Handicap, the feature summer sprint at Flemington.
Adelaide trainer Jim Smith has transformed five-year-old Bold Moves, who was beaten 35 lengths in a Ballarat Hurdle in March, into a genuine contender for Thursday's Group Three event over 1200 metres.
Formerly trained at Mornington by David Brideoake, Bold Moves joined Smith's stable when it became apparent he wasn't going to make the grade as a jumper, and the gelding hasn't looked back.
Smith said he took a punt on Bold Moves when managing owner Phillip Green "twisted his arm" to buy 20 per cent of the horse for $1,000.
He had won three of his 19 starts with Brideoake and in seven starts for Smith has won twice and been placed on three occasions.
Smith said that while Bold Moves was a big horse and looked suited to jumping, he was always going to struggle with his sprinting pedigree being a son of Strategic and Flying Spur mare Little Deuce Coupe.
"He is big but not bred to be a jumper," Smith said.
Just 24 days after his jumps failure, Bold Moves had his first start for Smith over 1200 metres at Gawler and while he finished seventh he was only beaten three lengths.
He was placed at his next two runs over 1614 metres and 1400 metres but Smith was convinced sprinting was his forte.
"I gave him a nice spell at a nice place and this time in aimed at the sprints and has been going very well," Smith said.
Smith admitted he cleaned up when Bold Moves, backed from $21 to $10, won first-up over 1200 metres at Morphettville on October 6.
The gelding should have won again when beaten less than a length finishing fourth at his next start before atoning with another victory on his home track on November 1.
The Standish Handicap came into focus after a freshened Bold Moves charged home for an eye-catching third to Flying Phoenix over 1200 metres at Morphettville on December 20.
"He was unlucky he didn't win," Smith said. "In another 20 yards he would have run over them."
Dwayne Dunn replaces Bold Moves' regular Adelaide rider Matthew Neilson in the Standish but it hasn't impressed TAB Sportsbet which has the chestnut as the outsider at $26.
Last start Christmas Stakes runner-up Orbit Express is the $3.90 favourite ahead of last year's Standish winner Publishing ($5) and Lord Monty ($5.50).
Publishing won the Standish last year at $21 while other recent Standish upsets have been Let's Planet ($17, 2002), Hon Kwok Star ($14, 1998) and Watchyerback ($13, 2007).