Well-travelled Swayzee primed for his NZ Cup defence

Trainer Jason Grimson is thrilled with the way Swayzee (Rock N Roll Heaven) has handled his hectic harness racing schedule ahead of today’s $1m IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington Raceway (5.46pm).

The defending Cup champion arrived at the Butt family’s Woodend Beach stables at 9pm Sunday night, after flights from Sydney to Auckland and then a connector down to Christchurch.

“Looking at him, he seems great,” Grimson said yesterday. “It doesn’t look like he’s lost much weight at all.

“I had him really well before we left and it’s just about having him bright now for race. We’ve taken him down to the beach.

Asked about the enormity of the challenge, giving Swayzee raced and won at Young in New South Wales on Friday night and then had his two flights to get to Christchurch, Grimson still seemed bullish.

“He’s the right sort of horse to try something like this with, not much bothers him and he’s an experienced traveller,” he said.

“You’ve got to say looking at him, it doesn’t seem to have bothered him.”

Grimson believes Swayzee is a better horse than when he won the NZ Cup last year.

“He’s more experienced in the big races and I think that Victoria Cup win last month was as good as he’s ever gone,” he said.

“I’d say he’s a better horse now. It’s hard to say I’m as confident as I was going into this race last year, just because he’s arrived so close to the race.”

Grimson also likes Swayzee’s back row draw.

“It’s pretty much ideal. It may not have been if Leap To Fame was here, but I like it,” he said.

On tactics, Grimson said Swayzee wouldn’t necessarily be driven to dominate the race like he so often is.

“I’ll leave that to Cam (Hart, driver), but he’s more versatile than people realise. He can sprint really quickly, especially in these staying races, if we sit him up,” he said.

For complete Addington Cup Day fields, click here.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing New Zealand