Trainer Brian Smith concedes he's still on a learning curve with former Kiwi mare Jasminka who makes her comeback following a 12-month injury layoff at Doomben on Wednesday.Jasminka will be having her first start for Smith when she lines up with stable jockey Scott Galloway aboard in the Hardy Brothers Handicap (1110m).The four-year-old has not started since finishing a close sixth at her Australian debut to former star filly Samantha Miss in the Group Three Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Warwi
Trainer Brian Smith concedes he's still on a learning curve with former Kiwi mare Jasminka who makes her comeback following a 12-month injury layoff at Doomben on Wednesday.
Jasminka will be having her first start for Smith when she lines up with stable jockey Scott Galloway aboard in the Hardy Brothers Handicap (1110m).
The four-year-old has not started since finishing a close sixth at her Australian debut to former star filly Samantha Miss in the Group Three Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm in August last year.
Jasminka is a daughter of Sakura Seeking and is part-owned by former champion jockey Mick Dittman.
"I've only had her for about three months but she's had a jumpout and is working well," Smith said.
"It's been a year since she's raced and it will be interesting to see how she goes here.
"She's only lightly raced but I admit I'm still learning with her."
New Zealand trainer Shaun Ritchie sent Jasminka to Australia for last year's spring carnival in Sydney after she recorded a win and two placings from her first four starts.
After winning at her second race start in a two-year-old maiden at Ellerslie in June last year, Jasminka was placed twice at Listed level in the Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka and Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Foxton the following month.
"She's got good form and wasn't beaten far by Samantha Miss, but she's got to show us whether she can come back," Smith said.
"She's had a few problems and hurt herself when she got cast in the her box and had to spend a lot of time out in the paddock.
"Her owners have given her plenty of time to get right again and they sent her to me to bring along gradually."
Smith is confident Jasminka will eventually handle 1600 metres and will be happy to see her find the line strongly against her class three opposition.
Toowoomba filly Bianca Blues is expected to have plenty of supporters when she makes her city debut against Jasminka.
Bianca Blues finished second on debut in a 900-metre Maiden Plate (900m) at the Gold Coast on May 9 before trainer Steve Tregea spelled her for the winter.
The three-year-old showed she had a promising future with a runaway win over 850 metres in a three-year-old maiden on the cushion track at Toowoomba on September 5.