Eye Keep Smiling wins back to back Golden Girl with fighting win

Tough mare Eye Keep Smiling (Sweet Lou) showed a welcome return to form with a typically courageous harness racing effort in the Group 1 $150,000 Garrards Golden Girl for mares at Albion Park on Saturday evening.

It was back to back wins for Eye Keep Smiling after she had won last year’s Golden Girl and it completed a Group 1 training and driving double for Luke McCarthy.

Last season Eye Keep Smiling swept all before her but in recent times she has been eclipsed by the likes of Australia’s champion mare Captains Mistress.

In an open race Eye Keep Smiling started favourite ahead of the heavily backed Lux Aeterna who started from the pole. Showing her customary stamina Eye Keep Smiling eventually worked to the lead by McCarthy with her stablemate Steno racing outside the leader with Lux Aeterna enjoying the trail.

EYE KEEP SMILING 18 JULY REPLAY

Those behind seemed to have trouble keeping in touch as the field sizzled in a third quarter of 27 seconds. Lux Aeterna went to the inside as Eye Keep Smiling tried to break clear. Momentarily it looked as if Lux Aeterna might trouble the leader but Eye Keep Smiling showed plenty of fight holding her off by two and a half metres with local mare Golden Fire running the race of her life for third.

Luke McCarthy has been patient with Eye Keep Smiling.

Last week was a super run. She’s big and strong and versatile and she’s so tough.

Eye Keep Smiling already has a yearling colt that is now being prepared by Chrissie and Cran Dalgety in Christchurch New Zealand after he was sold at the yearling sales.

Raced by Jackie Gibson at Success Stud Eye Keep Smiling has now won 30 races from 49 starts and over $958,088 in stake money. Through her racing record alone she is one of the most valuable mares in the country and her future progeny will be eagerly watched.

For complete race results, click here.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink