Alison Smith rarely has more than a dozen horses in work at her Orange (NSW) base and gives each of them her utmost attention. From just ten runners in the month of January the former jockey came up with three winners. That’s Better and Brief Statement both won on their hometrack on January 9th, while That’s Better backed up for another win at Cowra twelve days later. Alison’s very capable apprentice William Stanley did the honours on all three occasions.
That's Better gives Alison and William Stanley the first leg of a double at Orange 09/01/2024 - courtesy Janian McMillan Racing Photography.
Another win for That's Better and Stanley at Cowra 21/01/2024 - courtesy Janian McMillan Racing Photography.
Alison, born and reared in Forbes was one of a family of five girls three of whom were destined to become jockeys. Her sisters Fiona and Leanne enjoyed success professionally, while Alison was doing so well as an amateur rider in the 1990’s that she too made the decision to step up. She rode a handful of winners in the professional ranks but struggled with the weight scale and soon returned to amateur status.
Eventually she decided to transition into the training of thoroughbreds. Alison had been well schooled in the fundamentals of training and stable management by her late stepfather Noel Spackman who’d enjoyed his share of success on the western line over a long period of years. She also benefited from a short stint with Gary Portelli whose training career was in its infancy at Orange. Alison quickly learned that all the natural talent in the world is worth little without an unrelenting work ethic. One of her regular “go-to” jockeys Anthony Cavallo summed it up best when he said, “I’ve known a million trainers throughout my long career, but I’ve never known one to work more tirelessly than Alison Smith.”
It was Cavallo who provided Alison with her only metropolitan win to date when he rode Absolute Ripper to victory in a BM70 at Warwick Farm in 2018. The jockey rode the mare in six of her seven wins for the Orange trainer.
Janian McMillan snapped this one of Alison at the Bathurst meeting on Monday February 12.
Alison’s husband Nathan Smith helps out in the stables when not attending to his day job, while former respected western districts trainer Reg Priest is a regular around the place. Now 86, Reg delights in helping out with some of the stable chores and reminiscing about his golden years as a successful bush trainer. He’s best remembered as the trainer of the brilliant sprinter Opera Prince who in 1981 scored a stunning upset win over champion Manikato in the Gr 2 Chirnside Stakes (now Schillaci Stakes) at Sandown. Alison’s not backward in seeking his opinion on equine matters from time to time.
Alison Smith is a worthy recipient of the Pryde’s Easifeed Country Trainer of The Month Award for January. Twelve complimentary bags of Pryde’s EasiPerformance will land in her feed room in the near future.
Alison is happy to double as strapper when required. Here she is leading Krissy Krystyna and Kath Bell-Pitomac out at Orange - courtesy Janian McMillan Racing Photography.
(Banner image - Brief Statement (William Stanley) was the second of Alison's two winners at Orange 09/01/2024 - courtesy Janian McMillan Racing Photography.)
