Swayzee show rolls on

Tamworth staged the third leg of this year’s Country of Cups Carnival and this year’s $60,000 Garrards Horse and Hounds Tamworth City Cup proved out to be every bid predictable as was initially thought last night at the Raceway Tamworth.

Swayzee (Rock N Roll Heaven) is currently amongst the best pacers racing in the country alongside his younger half brother Leap To Fame and his mere presence was enough to frighten off any serious contenders. In contrast there was a crack field put together for a free for all at Menangle Park the following evening and any number of those runners might have been able to give Swayzee a run for his money. And so most punters unsurprisingly gave the event a miss and were content to watch the spectacle.

From his second row draw Swayzee was expected to race to the lead after settling down and that’s how it all went. Then it was a just a matter of guessing by how easily the star gelding would win by.

Driver Cameron Hart has described Swayzee as the best horse he has steered and he allowed Swayzee to amble to the front after settling with about 1600 metres left to travel. Grand veteran Master Catch took the trail behind Swayzee with Cya Art in third place.

Both Master Catch and Cya Art issued challenges in the back straight and Cya Art was trying valiantly out three wide nearing the final bed. But Hart merely shook up Swayzee and he had plenty in the tank to safely hold off a determined Cya Art by just under 3 metres with Master Catch a further 3 metres away holding on for third.

Swayzee rated 1.58.6 for the 2360 metre journey and was allowed to run his last quarter in a leisurely 28 seconds.

SWAYZEE JAN 17 REPLAY

In winning Swayzee earned his owners Mick Boots, L Drake, N. Jackson and Jason Grimson (who also trains the seven year old gelding) a $250,000 bonus for having already won three legs that will increase to $500,000 should he win the next leg at Albury on Feb 14 and then if he wins the final leg the Renshaw Cup at Penrith on Mar 15 then the bonus will be a tidy $1 million.

Unless there is some more serious opposition there appears to be no stopping Swayzee in scooping up the maximum lucrative bonus on offer. It’s hoped that the relevant authorities can persuade connections of some worthy open class pacers to take on Swayzee and make these final Cups the worthy spectacle they deserve to be.

by Tony Milanese, for Harnesslink