Belfast Banter suprises everyone but his connections with 16-1 A.P. Smithwick victory

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Belfast Banter had just finished a close third behind Welshman and Gordon’s Jet in the Grade 2 David Semmes Stakes in Virginia in May. In Wednesday’s Grade 1, $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial at Saratoga, Belfast Banter was getting a significant break in the weights and was cutting back to the distance of his most recent win.

So, as he looked at the toteboard, Cyril Murphy, trainer of Belfast Banter, was a bit perplexed at the 16-1 odds, making him the second-longest shot on the board.

“I could not understand why he was the price he was in relation to the opposition,” Murphy said. “If I was brave enough, we could have retired.”

Not sure how brave Murphy was at the windows, but Belfast Banter was certainly brave enough to weave his way through the field by the top of the lane, then draw clear to an authoritative 6 1/2-length victory in the Smithwick. Historic Heart finished second, three lengths clear of Freddy Flintshire, the 2-1 favorite. The second- and third-place finishers were trained by Keri Brion.

Noah And the Ark was fourth, followed by West Newton, Redicean, Gordon’s Jet, Salvino, and Welshman.

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“If we were going to win, today was our day,” Murphy said.

Belfast Banter was ridden to victory by Barry Foley, who recorded his first career Grade 1 victory.

“Fabulous, brilliant,” said Foley, who has been riding for 18 years. “I’ve been that close” - holding index and middle fingers centimeters apart - “but we finally got one.”

Belfast Banter carried 144 pounds in the Smithwick. It was a 14-pound swing in his favor from Welshman in the Semmes. He was also carrying level weight with Gordon’s Jet after spotting him 10.

Foley had Belfast Banter in seventh, about 8 1/4 lengths behind after the first 1 1/2 miles of the 2 1/16 mile race. After the eighth fence, Belfast Banter began to move up along the inside, then was swung to the outside. He took over from Historic Heart at midstretch and drew clear as Foley punched the air with his first coming to the wire.

“He had a couple of better runs in recent starts and he got a break at the weights today,” Foley said. “I thought if he turns up halfway fair, he should be good enough to win. I’ve been saying he’s a good horse all along and finally he showed everyone else.”

Belfast Banter, an 8-year-old Irish-bred gelding, covered the 2 1/16-miles in 3:53.69 and returned $35.60 to win.

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Though confident Belfast Banter would win, the margin of victory even caught Murphy by surprise.

“I believed coming in we would win but I didn’t think he’d do it like that,” Murphy said. “It gives us something to think about going forward. Today was to be his day from my perspective, what happens going forward we hadn’t even determined.”

The Grade 1, $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard, a 2 3/8-mile race Belfast Banker finished fourth in last year, will be held here on Aug. 16.

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