Audio Bay led out of the gates and despite trading places at the front of the pack with Alexandra Demure and Anchor Woman, the four-year-old mare was able to hold her place at the front of the pack. 

Coming down the home straight with 200 metres to go, Audio Bay never looking in doubt, winning the $22,000 feature ahead of Barsan and a fast finishing Wee Lassie, who overtook Justin W Stanley’s Alexandra Demure on the line.

Anchor Woman faded on the straight despite staying with Audio Bay at the start of the race. 

Audio Bay had two fourths in her first two runs with Smith’s stable, having formerly been owned by Dubbo trainer Gary Lunn. 

One of those was in Dubbo on December 21 behind Sipharderson and See For Yourself, while the other fourth was in Canberra just after the New Year on January 4, and trainer Smith said it was fantastic to see Audio Bay claim a maiden win in her stable.  

“It’s good to see her finally break through, she was doing a little bit wrong with her racing and over-racing but in time she’ll get better with that,” Smith said.

“It’s only her third start for me so all three runs have been good runs, there were a few niggly problems we had to get right and she’s fully fit and obviously racing accordingly.”

Smith didn’t mention any races she was going to target with Audio Bay, but was buoyed by the mare’s run.

“Hopefully she’ll find a fast lane and hopefully do the same again,” she said.

The mare didn’t have as much luck with former trainer Lunn, running 11^th, 10^th and 12^th across three races in Dubbo and Coonamble in September and October.

However, Smith and her stable have obviously worked wonders over a spell of 11 weeks from October to December, turning the Arlington x Rizzani mare’s form around significantly. 

Smith has had a stellar summer in tandem with Cavello, with the pair combining for four winners in the past five weeks.

She has also staked her claim on the Towac Park course after Supreme Gem claimed back-to-back wins across two meets in December.