Down the road at Gooree Park, Mack Griffith is batting with the same strike rate.

The championship heavy hitter has dished up qualifier winners in his only attempts at the race, in 2015 with Binalong Road and 2016 with Pera Pera.

But never have Smith and Griffith met in the 1400 metre race, which on Sunday at Mudgee boasts a whopping $150,000 bounty.

“I think it’s a good showdown,” Smith said on Thursday, mare Stilettoed Vixen one of the race favourites from Smith’s stable.

“We’ve been giving it to each other all week. I do a bit of work with him at Gooree. It should be good.”

While most have focused on the undoubted class of Griffith’s stable, the Smith-Koby Jennings combination is impossible to ignore.

The same trainer-jockey marriage took out last year’s heat at Wellington, skipping in from a wide barrier draw before storming to victory.

That ride by Jennings gives Smith enough confidence to look past an uncomfortable barrier 17 draw for Sunday’s race.

“We drew wide last year and he ended up on the fence, mid field. That’s down to Kobe, that’s why you put the good jocks on. He’s definitely one of those,” Smith said.

“With a touch more than even luck he’ll find a similar position this year.”

Stilettoed Vixen has only had one race for Smith since joining his Mudgee stable last year.

That run was a runaway victory over 1300m at Narromine last August.

Earning a spell after that three-length victory over a quality field that includes championship hopeful, Brett Thompson’s I’m Imogen, Smith’s contender has since trialed well at both Muswellbrook and Randwick.

Stilettoed Vixen is carrying 55.5 kilograms for Sunday’s heat.

“Kobe doesn’t generally take any rides below 56 … if you see him on one at 55 make sure you get on it because he only sweats that much for something that’s a good chance,” Smith smiled.

He said Griffith’s pair deserved favouritism.

“Not only do they have the form behind them, but they’re weighted to win it. They’re definitely the horses to beat in the race,” Smith added.

But the championship heat’s defending champion trainer said any of the 14 horses are capable of progressing through to the final at Randwick.

“It’s a quality field this year. My other horse, Bel Diablo is sweating on a run and she’s rated 61,” Smith said of the race’s first emergency.

“Go back to the first year it was run and we’re looking at benchmark 55 horses getting a run.”

With a big crowd expected for the Mudgee Race Club’s showcase meeting, Smith admitted nervous would creep into play near the race’s jump time of 4.40pm.

“I get nervous whether it be here or the back of Bourke, or a maiden at a picni level … nerves are always there but it intensifies with the bigger races,” he smiled.

Race one for Sunday’s meeting jumps at 12.55pm.