DESPITE his ongoing talk of retirement, Trevor Smith showed he’s still very much a force to be reckoned with as he landed a tough CIC1* with HHF Elegance. In second spot from the outset (31.6), Smith delivered one of just two double clear rounds to lead Sadhbh McGrath (Bridgemans Cocoa Malt) by three marks. Describing the seven-year-old son of Watermill Swatch as “a real good horse with a big future,” Smith explained that he is owned by a syndicate of long-term friends and supporters.