Calling Canford a bit of an idiot

That's exactly what Queanbeyan trainer Mick Smith managed to do with Canford Calling in front of the biggest crowd of the year at his home track.

The seven-year-old gelding led from start to finish to win the benchmark 50 handicap (1600 metres) at Queanbeyan on Boxing Day.

He got out to a lead as big as three lengths coming into the home turn and jockey Michael Heagney held off The Towers by 1.25 lengths, with One More Tipple third.

Opposite was pulled up on the home turn and had to be put down.

Smith said this was a win for the trainer given how difficult Canford Calling can be to train.

While the son of Canford Cliffs has won five times from his 46 starts, Smith felt he should've won double that, but managed to "muck it up" numerous times.

"He's always shown us ability, but he can be a bit of an idiot so it's really nice today to see him really put in," Smith said.

"He's very hard to train because no matter what we do he mucks it up.

"If I take him to the sand roller he doesn't roll. When I take him to the yard he'll have a roll.

"We try to outsmart him a bit so today's a trainer's win - we figure we've outsmarted the horse."

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Smith hoped he could find another race of the same length at his Queanbeyan track - given Canford Calling has saluted four of his five times there.

He said the win was especially sweet in front of Queanbeyan's biggest crowd of the year.

About 2000 racegoers headed to the track to help put a tough year behind them.

Smith said it was not only the biggest crowd they've raced in front of this year, but bigger than all the other crowds combined.

"He really likes it here at Queanbeyan. I think that's his fifth win and four of them have been here," he said.

"We'll just find another mile race at a 58-level. I don't know what the next race meeting here's got - hopefully here's something good here because obviously here's the best place for us."