Beaudesert trainer Michael Morrison is banking on a bit of luck and a softer track to help Smart Action get his campaign back on track in Friday’s Racing and Sports Benchmark 70 Handicap (1700m) at Ipswich.

The six-year-old, formerly trained by Annabel Neasham, has three wins and three placings from 21 starts and will race with blinkers reapplied for the first time in a year.

“He’s had a bit of a frustrating prep,” Morrison said. “The initial target was the Murwillumbah Cup and his two runs into that were quite good, but the track was pretty chopped up and he didn’t quite appreciate it.”

Morrison said Smart Action has struggled on firmer tracks but should benefit from recent rain.

“With the sting out of the ground, that should be to his liking,” he said.

Smart Action sits on the $4.80 second line of betting behind $3.20 favourite Medical Autocrat.