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Western Australian marvel Smooth Chino has announced himself as a genuine player on the national sprinting stage after causing an upset in Saturday’s 2026 McEwen Stakes results at Flemington, delivering a career-defining victory for trainer Indiana Weinert and jockey Austin Galati.
The five-year-old son of Maschino dug deep in a thrilling finish to this year’s Group 2 $300,000 McEwen Stakes (1200m) on Cox Plate Day to deny veteran sprinter Mazu, with hot favourite Extragalactic settling for third, and in doing so may have booked himself a ticket into the Group 1 $3 million Champions Sprint (1200m) on November 7.
The win saw bookmakers immediately slash his Champions Sprint 2026 odds, firming dramatically from $51 into $12 with Ladbrokes, as punters scrambled to jump aboard the rapidly emerging sprint star.
Smooth Chino Delivers Melbourne Breakthrough
Starting at $8.50, Smooth Chino continued his remarkable rise from humble beginnings with another determined performance, stopping the clock in 1:09.80 and holding off Mazu by a nose in a blanket finish.
2026 McEwen Stakes Results
- #5 Smooth Chino
- #1 Mazu
- #8 Extragalactic
Winning Time: 1:09.80
Margin: Nose x 1 Length
The victory added another elite-level success to an impressive record that now stands at eight wins from 13 starts, taking the gelding’s earnings beyond $900,000.
$40,000 Gamble Turns into a Dream
For trainer Indiana Weinert, the victory was another chapter in one of racing’s great underdog stories.
Smooth Chino was purchased for just $40,000 and has now won more than $900,000 in prize money.
Reflecting on the journey, Weinert could hardly contain her emotions.
“I cannot believe it. I took the punt to buy a horse that I didn’t even have the money to pay for him on the day and what he has done for me is change my life,” she told Racing Victoria.
The young trainer believes relocating the gelding east has helped unlock another level of performance.
“It has definitely helped the horse, and me,” she said.
“He needs to be over this way. In WA he was going to be out of his class there and here he seems to fit in very well.”
Trainer Vindicated After Backing Galati
Weinert also paid tribute to rider Austin Galati, who retained the ride despite criticism following a costly mistake at the horse’s previous run.
“You only make that mistake once and I don’t think they’ll be doing that again. They didn’t today,” she explained.
“I’ve stuck by Austin. I’ve believed in him.”
“He’s ridden this horse to eight wins now so they’re a great team.”
“Austin is so cool, calm and collected and people doubted my decision but I stuck by him.”
“It has just proved today.”
The loyal partnership was rewarded with the biggest win of both their careers.
Champions Sprint Now on The Radar
With Smooth Chino’s stock soaring, attention immediately turns to the 2026 Champions Sprint at Flemington on Stakes Day.
Weinert confirmed the stable will monitor the gelding closely before finalising plans.
“Depending on how he pulls up,” she said.
“This horse tells me when he races how he pulls up and how he handles the trips.”
“Definitely would give a Group 1 a shot.”
Given the authority of Saturday’s performance and his proven ability at Flemington, a crack at the $3 million sprint now looks increasingly likely.
Champions Sprint 2026 Odds
| 1. Tempted | ||
| 2. Joliestar | ||
| 3. Point Barrow | ||
| 4. Smooth Chino | ||
| 5. Skybird |
Career-Defining Win for Galati
For jockey Austin Galati, Saturday’s success represented the biggest victory of his career.
The WA rider was quick to thank connections for sticking solid after the disappointment of Smooth Chino’s previous outing.
“Thanks so much to Indi and the owners for keeping me on,” he said.
“Especially after last time with the hiccup with the winning post but we found it today.”
Galati was full of praise for both horse and trainer following the landmark result.
“Couldn’t be prouder of the horse.”
“What an amazing team effort.”
“Such a big credit to this horse and Indi. For her second starter at Flemington, something like this is everything for us.”
The jockey also brushed aside any concerns about the gelding’s pre-race quirks.
“He definitely does. He has always been like that and it doesn’t worry me,” he added.
“He’s a bit quirky but he’s an amazing horse.”
Flemington Tick Gives Champions Sprint Hope
Galati clearly enjoyed the Flemington experience and believes Smooth Chino can continue to thrive on the famous straight course.
“Unreal. This track is amazing,” he said.
“The crowd, everything.”
“Very special to have my sister and brother-in-law here.”
“Really surreal.”
Champions Sprint Market Reacts
The betting market wasted little time adjusting following the McEwen Stakes result.
After being a rank outsider at $51 before the race, Smooth Chino now sits at $12 in early Champions Sprint 2026 betting, placing him firmly among the leading contenders.
Given his outstanding Flemington performance, proven toughness and current winning streak, it is easy to see why punters have rushed to secure the generous early quotes.
Whether he can take the next step and claim a Group 1 remains to be seen, but after Saturday’s upset victory in the McEwen Stakes, Smooth Chino is no longer flying under the radar. The WA raider has arrived on racing’s biggest stage and looks capable of making plenty more headlines before the Melbourne Spring Carnival is over.
Full 2026 McEwen Stakes Results
| 5. Smooth Chino (3) J: Austin Galati 58.5kg 13×32 T: Indianna Weinert | ||
| 1. Mazu (8) J: Rachel King 58.5kg 61×10 T: Joseph Pride | ||
| 8. Extragalactic (7) J: James McDonald 56.5kg 22×42 T: Trent Edmonds | ||
| 3. Rey Magnerio (6) J: William Pike 58.5kg x62x5 T: Robbie Griffiths | ||
| 7. Splash Back (2) J: Jordan Childs 56.5kg 1961x T: Grahame Begg | ||
| 4. Arkansaw Kid (1) J: Ethan Brown 58.5kg x3043 T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 2. Jigsaw (4) J: Logan Bates 58.5kg 111×1 T: Cindy Alderson | ||
| 6. La Fracas (5) J: Blake Shinn 58.5kg 720×9 T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
