By Adam Hamilton
Dual New Zealand Cup winner Swayzee is set to switch course and chase the Miracle Mile after his shock Albury Cup defeat last night.
Driver Cam Hart said he struggled to steer Swayzee around the tight Albury track at top speed with classy Victorian pacer Captain Hammerhead smashing the track record time in front.
Swayzee was struggling rounding the final bend when Captain Hammerhead pinched a six-metre break, but Swayzee just kept coming and to get within a neck. They broke the track record by five seconds.
“He was on one rein and really hard to steer at various times, but he just kept coming,” Hart said.
Trainer Jason Grimson said if Swayzee pulled up well he would go to one of the Miracle Mile qualifying races at Menangle on March 1.
Last night’s defeat ended Swayzee’s hopes of a $1 million bonus for winning all five legs of the NSW Carnival Of Cups.
He is already assured of $250,000 for winning the first three legs and can boost that to $500,000 if he wins the fifth leg at Penrith on March 14.
Captain Hammerhead’s owner Dom Martello was buzzing after the win.
“I feel like we beat a champion tonight,” he said. “We came here with a point to prove after being stripped of the Shepparton Cup.
“David Moran’s drive was superb and the horse went great.
“I’ve won bigger races, but I’ve never had a bigger thrill.”
Moran added: “It all came down to the start. I thought we’d make it a real race around a tight track like this if we could settle in front of Swayzee and beat him around to take the lead.”
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Kiwi star Don’t Stop Dreaming headlined a stellar night for driver Kate Gath at Terang last night.
Gath drove Don’t Stop Dreaming for the first time when a fantastic second to Leap To Fame in last week’s Cranbourne Cup, teamed with him again for a dominant Terang Cup win.
She made a midrace move from a back row draw to sit parked and Don’t Stop Dreaming dashed away in a 54.7sec last half to win easily.
“He’s just a lovely horse. He couldn’t go any better than he did at Cranbourne then ran right up to that again tonight. He did it really easily,” Gath said.
The Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained star is back in peak form and confidence ahead of the Miracle Mile qualifiers on March 1 at Menangle.
Earlier, Gath drove her own stable star and eight-time Group 1 winner Catch A Wave to a sparkling sprint win in a support race at Terang.
Despite sitting outside former Victoria Cup winner Rock N Roll Doo for the last 1100m of the 1650m race, Catch A Wave zoomed away to win by 9.2m in a sharp 1min52.7sec mile rate.
“He’s been great at home and felt terrific tonight,” Gath said.
Catch A Wave, winner of the 2023 Miracle Mile, will join Don’t Stop Dreaming the qualifying sprints at Menangle.
