TALK about doing it easy.
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The result may tell you that Smooth Baht was not far away from Bathurst Gold Chalice Heat winner Perfect Stride on Monday but that won't tell you the whole story.
Anthony Butt's Perfect Stride ($1.05 favourite, Cameron Hart) looked a million dollars on his way to victory in the opening heat at Bathurst Paceway and he barely had to break a sweat to make it happen.
Perfect Stride left the field for dead on the turn for home, with the notable exception of Steve Turnbull's Smooth Baht ($19, Mitch Turnbull) who did well to make a race of it.
But Smooth Baht had to work overtime just to keep on the heels of Butt's superstar, who will undoubtedly find himself as favourite for the weekend's Group 1 final regardless of where he ends up being drawn.
Cameron Hart found the lead from gate five on Perfect Stride and Smooth Baht was able to follow in behind from the second gate.
The leading pair opened up a 15 metre lead on the rest of the field midway round the turn for home and it only grew as Hart asked his runner to find another level.
Perfect Stride ran out the closing half in a blistering 54.5 but looked very comfortable in doing so.
The Emilio Rosati-owned Bettors Delight colt is still chasing his first major prize after placings in the 2YO Breeders Crown and the more recent Victoria and NSW Derbies.
The Gold Chalice Final looks like the perfect opportunity to do just that.
"He's done it pretty easy. He's a pretty classy colt, this one. He should be hard to beat in the final," Hart said.
"Emilio puts plenty of money into the industry and it's nice that he can get a few nice ones like this one. He loves his horses and I can't thank him enough for putting me on a nice colt like this."
Perfect Stride now has now moved up to $170,000 in career prizemoney following his eighth win in 20 starts.
He's only missed a placing on one occasion since coming across to Australia from New Zealand.
Rosati should be fancying his chances of a Gold Chalice quinella after Focus Stride won the third heat of the day.