Matthew and Melissa Smith have worked tirelessly to prepare themselves for running a world class racing stable by learning from some of the most astute trainers from around the globe. Along with their meticulous approach to yearling selection in Australia every year, they are constantly on the lookout for tried horses from Europe that appeal to the Australian market. This method has worked well as there is the benefit of assessing form and an extensive veterinary examination prior to negotiating a deal. There is also a much quicker turnaround in terms of getting to the races which has proven very popular with our clients
Matthew C. Smith Racing enjoyed their best-ever season in 2022/23 with 100 winners and over $5,800,000 in prize money on the board with a top 10 finish in the NSW Trainers Premiership.
The star of the 2021/22 season was no doubt Nimalee who brought up the stable’s 5th Group 1 win, (3rd individual) and 1st in Sydney when running away with the Queen of The Turf Stakes on Day 2 of the Championships in April 2022. In May 2023 Nimalee was presented for sale at the coveted Inglis Chairmans Sale where she topped the sale at a staggering $3.6million. Purchased by world leading breeders – Coolmore, she will get every chance to produce champions.
Fierce Impact arrived at Warwick Farm in February 2018 and he picked up the Group 3 Summer Cup at Randwick on Boxing Day the same year. At only his third start in Group 1 company he gunned home to take the Group 1 Toorak Handicap over 1600m by nearly 2 lengths. At his next start he stayed on tenaciously to take out the Group 1 Kennedy Cantala, again over 1600m. Back from a spell, his campaign (what would be his final) was carefully laid out by Matthew which started with a brave 3rd in the Group 1 Winx Stakes at Randwick. Next stop was Flemington to line up in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes, Fierce Impact duly obliged to register the third Group 1 win of his career. Fierce Impact retired to stud in March 2021 with the titles 2020 Champion Middle Distance Horse of the Year and NSW Miler of the Year to his name.
Matthew paid his way to Ireland to work with trainers in England and Ireland before taking up an opportunity to work with Aidan O’Brien at what was an integral juncture in the Irishman’s career. Matthew followed Aidan as he progressed from being the country’s leading jumps trainer to reigniting Ireland’s most famous stable, Ballydoyle.
Initially a track rider, Matthew quickly progressed through the ranks to become Aidan’s Assistant Trainer, working alongside his quietly spoken mentor for two and a half years as Ballydoyle emerged as the world’s premier racing stable.
The opportunity to learn a new style of racehorse preparation in the United States proved tempting and Matthew elected to continue his education as Assistant Trainer for Niall O’Callaghan. With O’Callaghan constantly moving between stables in different states Matthew was left to manage a string of 30 horses and staff and revelled in the challenge. Hard work bore results and horses under Matthew’s care competed at the showpiece Breeders’ Cup meeting.
Before Matthew’s two years in America had come to a close he was offered the post as the Stable Foreman for Australia’s Hall of Fame trainer, Bart Cummings. For almost five years Matthew worked alongside Bart as a Melbourne Cup, Australian Cup, Doncaster Handicap and a string of other Group One events were plundered.
With almost a decade of international and local experience behind him Matthew decided the time was right to open his own training establishment.
