Captain Hammerhead winning at Albury last night - HRNSW/Brett Atkins
SWAYZEE’S shock Albury Cup defeat could be a win for the $1 million Miracle Mile.
Trainer Jason Grimson said a change of plans to tackle the Miracle Mile qualifiers on March 1 was now likely after his mighty stayer struggled with the tight-turning Albury track but still got within a neck of Captain Hammerhead as they smashed the track record by five seconds.
Swayzee’s defeat ended hopes of an historic $1 million bonus for winning all five legs of the NSW Carnival of Cups. He can still snare a $500,000 bonus if he makes it four wins in the final leg, the Renshaw Cup at Penrith on March 14.
“We’ll see how he pulls up and there’s a big chance we’ll try and get into the Miracle Mile now,” Grimson said.
Driver Cam Hart was proud Swayzee, who beat Leap To Fame in the Hunter Cup at his previous run, got so close after “a really challenging” drive.
“He didn’t handle the track well at all at top speed. Every time I’d balance him up in the straights, he’d get to another very tight corner and I’d be flat out steering him again. He was on one rein for much of the race,” he said.
“He was super brave and gallant in defeat. He was coming strongly again in the last 50m, but the straight just wasn’t long enough.”
Captain Hammerhead also earned a shot at the Miracle Mile qualifiers with his dashing win.
“I feel like we’ve beaten a champion tonight,” owner Dom Martello said. “I’ve won bigger races, but this is the most satisfying.”
Trainer-driver David Moran added: “He was great tonight. He’s back to his best after a few ups and downs and we’ll try and get into the Miracle Mile now.”
The Miracle Mile picture also grew with Kiwi star Dont Stop Dreaming and a former winner Catch A Wave brilliantly winning at Terang last night.
Dont Stop Dreaming ran right up to last week’s fantastic second to Leap To Fame in the Cranbourne Cup when he toyed with his rivals in the Terang Cup despite doing all the work.
“He felt fantastic. He couldn’t have gone any better at Cranbourne and ran right up to that tonight. He did it so easily,” driver Kate Gath said.
Earlier, Gath teamed with her own stable star Catch A Wave, winner of the 2023 Miracle Mile, for a track record-equalling win.
“You’d hope he would win a race like that, but he still had to do it and it was pleasing he ran away from them at the finish,” she said.
Gath will be hoping the star pair draw separate Miracle Mile qualifiers so she can drive both at Menangle on March 1.
Defending champion Leap To Fame will try to become the first to cement a Miracle Mile berth in Friday night’s $100,000 Group 2 Newcastle Mile. Only the winner gets a golden ticket.
Other key Miracle Mile contenders include: Don Hugo, Merlin, Max Delight, Captains Knock, Tact McLeod, Captain Ravishing, Sooner The Bettor and Aardies Express.
One of the most interesting is former pin-up pacer Captain Ravishing, who joined Jason Grimson’s stable last week.
“I’ll know more after I fast work him this week and he’ll probably trial Tuesday (at Menangle),” Grimson said.
