Swayzee - Victorian Cup 24 with Jason Grimson & Cameron Hart Photo by Stuart McCormick
VICTORIA Cup hero Swayzee will head to outback NSW next rather than back to defend his New Zealand Cup crown.
Despite how stunning Swayzee was blasting his rivals away in last night's $300,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton, Grimson has no qualms about heading bush rather than chasing NZ's most iconic race again.
"Someone asked me tonight if I would change my mind, but it's a no," he said.
"The trip and the race took a lot out of Swayzee last year, I wouldn't ask him to do it again."
"That was as big a thrill as I've had in NZ with him last year, but the truth is, I'm looking forward to taking him around the (NSW) country this time."
Grimson, 31, is from the Riverina town of Young and that's where the NSW Carnival of Cups heads next for the $60,000 Cherry City Cup.
Swayzee won the first of five legs in the series, the $60,000 The Dish, at Parkes on September 20.
He is chasing a new $1 million bonus if successful in all five legs of the series. The other legs are at Tamworth (January 17), Albury (February 14) and Penrith (March 14).
Wins in four of the five would bank him a $500,000 bonus and even three wins would earn $250,000.
Swayzee will be classes above his rivals in most legs of the series, having already won the Victoria and NZ Cups, along with famously beating his younger half-brother, champion pacer Leap To Fame, in last year's Blacks A Fake in Brisbane.
Leap To Fame has beaten Swayzee in all three clashes since then, but was missing from last night's Victoria Cup when struck by a virus on Friday and scratched.
The pair look headed for another clash in the NSW Inter Dominion series, which starts on November 29. The $500,000 final is at Menangle on December 14.
"As much as we loved NZ last year, we made the decision a couple of months back we'd target the Cups here and the Inter Dominion with Swayzee," Grimson said.
"We felt he was going as well as ever. Leap To Fame wouldn't have been able to sit outside him and beat him the way he went tonight."
"He's the best horse I've had, my favourite. He's such a great stayer."
Despite working around the field from a back row draw in quick time, then winning a tussle with leader and main danger Mach Dan to take the lead, Swayzee just kept going and in near record times.
"He's just so good rolling along in front like that," driver Cam Hart said.
"I knew he'd done plenty of work, but he's done it before and kept going. He's a beast like that. I love him."
Swayzee's win was his 23rd from just 56 starts, and he's now earned $1,213,243.
One Aussie great who will still be heading to NZ is champion trotter Believe, who posted his ninth Group 1 win in last night's Bill Collins Trotters' Sprint at Melton.
His next big target is the $NZ400,000 Dominion Trot at Addington on November 12.
· Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
