The Warwick Farm trainer opted to take the three-year-old to Melbourne in the early part of the spring and his plan was rewarded when Buenos Noches won the Listed Poseidon Stakes then steamed home to just miss behind Giga Kick in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes, both over 1100m at Flemington.
Giga Kick subsequently upstaged the country's best sprinters in The Everest, while Buenos Noches headed back home for a freshen-up.
"He seems to be in great shape, I can't fault him.
"We were keen to get him to Melbourne to give him a look down there in the first race. We wanted to do that to give him a shot at the Danehill, and that all worked out pretty well," Smith said.
"It will be a month between runs, but I wasn't keen to run him in between after a couple of trips down to Melbourne. You can go to the well once too often.
"He definitely needed that week off after the Danehill to get back to normal."
Buenos Noches tuned up for his Coolmore assignment with a 1030m barrier trial at Rosehill on Friday and was given a solid hit-out, finishing third behind Saturn Star and Lost And Running.
Smith expects that to top off his preparations and is hopeful the colt's experience down the Flemington straight will hold him in good stead for next Saturday's 1200m sprint when regular rider Craig Newitt will again be aboard.
"I'm confident the horse will run well. He has had a couple of looks down there and a couple of trial runs in terms of travelling," Smith said.
"He's a good colt, no doubt about that, hopefully we get a nice clear run between now and then."
Buenos Noches is on the third line of TAB's pre-nomination market for the Coolmore Stud Stakes at $5.50, with Golden Rose winner Jacquinot and runner-up In Secret equal top picks at $3.50.
Clayton Douglas has confirmed Giga Kick will bypass the Coolmore in favour of the Champions Sprint (1200m) a week later when he will again face off with Nature Strip.
