Progressive mare Swindle (NZ) (Rageese) had little favours in the running of the Stewart Browne Memorial (1200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday, but that didn’t stop her from powering to victory for trainer Lauren Brennan.
Jumping from barrier six, apprentice jockey Triston Moodley was assertive in the early stages aboard Swindle but was forced to sit three-wide in third, while Baronet (NZ) (Contributer) and Winning For All (Shooting To Win) set a solid tempo in front. Travelling boldly near the turn, Moodley let the mare roll outside the leaders and she sprinted clear at the 300 metres, keeping up a strong gallop in the heavy conditions to score with authority by two lengths.
The sole three-year-old of the field, Itza Charmdeel (Charm Spirit), finished gamely into second followed by Winexpress (NZ) (Shamexpress).
A winner at Rating 65 level in mid-May, Swindle has continued to race consistently amongst competitive fields up in grade and Brennan was delighted to see the mare rewarded.
“I was watching from the stands, so when George (Simon, race commentator) was saying she was three-wide and doing it tough I was thinking ‘poor thing, she never gets a break’, she’s drawn wide at most of her starts,” Brennan said.
“I said (to Triston) to try and sit behind the speed as there was a fair bit in the race, but he had no choice. When he asked her, she picked up really nicely and Triston’s riding really well at the moment.
“I’m really happy with the run.”
Initially planning on sending the daughter of Rageese for a spell, Brennan may reconsider upcoming plans for Swindle after such a commanding victory.
“I was going to give her a break after today thinking she might have come to the end of it, but we’ll get her home now and see how she pulls up,” she said.
Bred by Windsor Park Stud and owned by Lauren and Micky Brennan’s Monacurragh Lodge, Swindle increased her earnings to over $65,000 with three wins from 13 starts. The four-year-old is out of an O’Reilly mare in Code Black (NZ), who won twice over 1200m in Australia.
The victory was Moodley’s 38th for the season, placing him firmly in third position behind frontrunners Lily Sutherland and Niranjan Parmar as the National Apprentice’s Premiership draws to a close next Wednesday.
A five-win haul at the apprentice’s race-day at New Plymouth last month was a key highlight for Moodley, and the 23-year-old has his sights firmly set on the top spot next season.
“It’s been my best season thus far and I’m just hoping to carry on into the next,” Moodley said. “My biggest goal (next season) is to try and win the premiership.”
