One can almost imagine the expression on Matt Stewart's face as he typed his article Outsmarting the world that appeared in yesterday's Melbourne Herald Sun.

The tone of the story would suggest Matt had just survived a somewhat difficult dinner party/pub/workplace discussion where someone had dared to suggest that Australian horses (and their owners, trainers and jockeys) weren't QUITE up with the rest of the world "... not saying they're bad or anything though mate".

Australian horses (and those that work with them) certainly have the stats on the board this year and Matt isn't short of research material. If you have ever waved the Australian flag at the cricket, enjoyed vegemite on your toast, followed Aussie-Rules and/or know more than the first 12 words of the National Anthem - then this one's definitely for you:

"Long gone are the days where our racing and breeding industries were colonial outposts that occasionally fluked a genetic freak capable of mixing it with the world's best...

"There will come a time when the penny drops overseas that Australian horses are as good as theirs, that our riders think more than theirs and that our trainers don't need top hats and tails to make an impression. "

The full article is at the following URL

(and a postscript from one of our readers - Matt apparently got it wrong - Smarty Jones won the Preakness by 11 lengths)