Swayzee set for long-awaited return

Mighty stayer Swayzee (Rock N Roll Heaven) is primed for a winning return to harness racing at Menangle on Saturday night.

The NZ Cup and Blacks A Fake winner hasn’t raced since a fantastic third to Leap To Fame in the Brisbane Inter Dominion final on December 16.

Trainer Jason Grimson said the six-year-old would have been back racing earlier except for a minor leg infection.

“It wasn’t anything much and could have been treated with antibiotics, but when you’re as valuable as him, there’s a small procedure they can do where they scrape the infection out, so we had that done,” he said.

“You wouldn’t know that he had an issue now; he’s great.”

“I was going to trial him this week before racing Saturday, but the way he worked this morning (Monday), he’s ready to go.”

“He’s come on really well since last week’s trial (second to stablemate Hi Manameisjeff at Menangle) and felt unreal this morning.”

“He’s ready to pick up where he left off, and I’ll take him up to Brisbane around June 15 with a group of others. I’ll take about ten up.”

Brilliant stablemate Nerano, who will clash with Swayzee on Saturday night, is being set for the standing-start $100,000 Group 2 Redcliffe Cup on June 29.

“I like the standing start with him because he’s a chance to go to the NZ Cup later in the year,” Grimson said.

“Swayzee is still a chance to go back to NZ, too. I’m certainly not ruling that out, but I’ll make a decision closer, and hopefully, there’s flights into Christchurch rather than having to go through Auckland.”

Grimson’s other open-class star Hi Manameisjeff, who paced a scorching 1min49sec mile beating Swayzee in last week’s Menangle trial, will wait another week to resume over his preferred sprint trip (1609m) at Menangle.

“He’s heading to Brisbane, too. The Sunshine Sprint will be his main target,” Grimson said.

Grimson is also considering running outstanding four-year-old Frankie Ferocious in the Sunshine Sprint (July 20), but the $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun (July 13) is his major target.

“He’ll trial in two weeks,” he said. “He goes best fresh, so I’ll happily take him into the Rising Sun with just one lead-up run.”

“Others I’ll take to Queensland will include the trotter Royal Dan, a couple of mares Illavabubbles and Tay Tay, and Hot And Treacherous is back from Perth, too.”

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