Plenty to look forward to Across the Ditch
Across the Ditch • December 20th, 2024 8:47 AM
Harness Racing - Adam Hamilton
The countdown is on for the racetrack return of dual NZ Cup winner Swayzee.
Jason Grimson’s mighty stayer will return from a break in the $50,000 Gr.3 Shirley Turnbull Memorial at Bathurst next Thursday (Boxing Night).
Bathurst will be a key “sharpen-up” before Swayzee continues his march towards a potential $A1 million bonus for winning all five legs of the NSW Carnivals of Cups.
The rising seven-year-old won the first two at Parkes (September 20) and Young (November 8) and now heads to Tamworth on January 17.
Victory at Tamworth would secure Swayzee at least a $A250,000 bonus. That doubles to $A500,000 if he can win Tamworth and add Albury on February 14. All going well, Swayzee would then be racing for the $A1 million bonus at Penrith on March 15.
Time will tell whether Grimson squeezes in a trip to Melton for the $A250,000 Gr.1 Hunter Cup, which promises to be a ripper, on February 1.
Sidelined champion Leap To Fame is back in work and aiming towards the Hunter Cup.
While last Saturday night’s epic Inter Dominion winner Don Hugo is also Hunter Cup-bound, according to trainer-driver Luke McCarthy.
Also aiming at the Hunter Cup is classy Kiwi pacer Tact McLeod, who brilliantly won a support race at Menangle last Saturday night.
“He arrived on Monday and he’ll go to the Bendigo Cup (January 4),” caretaker co-trainer Anthony Butt said. “He might even race at Cranbourne next Saturday (December 28). There’s a suitable free-for-all for him there.”
Inter Dominion trotting final winner The Locomotive, who is on an eight-race winning streak, will also head to the Hunter Cup meeting. His target is the $A250,000 Great Southern Star.
With Just Believe’s future uncertain and queries over Callmethebreeze, The Locomotive is the early favourite for the Great Southern Star.
Greyhound Racing - Jared Timms
A huge Saturday night of racing looms in Australia with the world’s richest greyhound race, the $1.65 million The Phoenix at The Meadows ably supported by a Group 1 meeting at Wentworth Park.
Defending champion, Schillaci, has drawn Box 1 ahead of his defence of The Phoenix and will again represent the Ladbrokes Racing Club.
Ladbrokes GM of Ownership and Participation, Ryan Stanaway was understandably thrilled after the draw last Saturday.
“There’s a real sense of timing about what Talgi has done with the dog,” he said.
“Obviously there’s a sentimental side to it with Schillaci and the idea of going back-to-back, but it would stand for nothing if he wasn’t in form.
“He’s shown in his Melbourne Cup heat win and then being unlucky in the final with that first split that he is ready to go, so we are thrilled to partner with him again.”
Schillaci was rated a $4.60 third elect in The Phoenix betting following the box draw.
In Sydney, the Gr.1 Paul Wheeler Simply The Best Final headlines twelve races, and Million Dollar Chase winner Blue Kermaro will look to continue his incredible affiliation with the Wentworth Park 525m after posting the fastest qualifying time of 29.41.
Trainer Minnie Finn will get one final crack at a second Group 1 feature with the talented Gets Late Early, who has continued to turn in sharp performance since claiming the National Futurity Final back in January.
“She came our running like she did a week earlier when she led all the way in 29.54,” Finn said after last weekend’s heats.
“I’ve been trialling Gets Late Early behind the drag lure at Richmond every Monday and that has sharped up her box manners for sure.”
The Collerson Stakes and the Group 3 Christmas Cheer will also be run and won on the Paul Wheeler program.
Thoroughbred Racing - Nick Quinn
The big money continues to be distributed on the country circuit in Victoria with the running of the $1Million Supernova at Pakenham.
The Ciaron Maher trained Nadal heads the market and comes into this race on the back of a dominant win in the Meteorite at Cranbourne as a $4.40 chance.
A couple of early bets on Nadal include $2500 at $3.10, $2000 at $2.80, $1000 at $2.80 and $615.78 at $2.90.
Here To Shock from the Hayes team is on the second line of betting and is enjoying a good campaign with wins at Newcastle And Rosehill.
Wangoom winner Tuvalu is looking to spike third up into the campaign and is the third elect.
One stable that will be worth following in the coming months is Cranbourne based trainer Grahame Begg.
The hot streak continued at Caulfield last Saturday when two year-old Cilacap.
"She’s better than that grade and we’ll aim her at some bigger races in the autumn." Begg said.
For those wanting to follow her she will next contest the Gr.3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on February 15 before contesting the Gr.2 Kewney Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on March 8.
For all the good luck the stable had, they were denied Group 1 success in the Winterbottom Stakes with Maharba who made a mess of the start before rattling home into second place behind Overpass.
Maharba is off for a spell and will resume in the Gr.2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on February 8 and then contest two of the jewels in the crown of the Australian racing in the
Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 9 and the Gr.1 William Reid Stakes (1200) at the Valley on March 22.
Then all going well off to Sydney or to Perth for the Quokka.
The other emerging stable star Niance won’t race in the autumn after suffering a paddock injury and will hopefully be up and running for the spring.
Picture at the Top of the Page: PHOTO: Courtesy HRNZ
