PHOTO DECIDES TOP DOG

A LONG-range plan by trainer John Blacker was realised when his gallant five-year-old Swoop Dog scored a courageous win in the $125,000 Ladbrokes Devonport Cup over 1880m on Wednesday.

In a desperately close photo-finish Swoop Dog gained the judge’s nod over Alpine Wolf with that gelding’s stablemate Dramazing a fastclosing third.

Swoop Dog rider Siggy Carr gave the gelding the run of the race, settling fourth and they moved into winning contention on the home turn.

The gelding hit the front in the home straight and looked to have the race safely in his keeping until Alpine Wolf emerged as a serious danger.

When they hit the line Carr was sure she had been beaten and Alpine Wolf’s rider Daniel Ganderton went the early crow and was celebrating a win.

But the photo-finish print showed otherwise and Swoop Dog, that was beaten in a photo-finish in last year’s Devonport Cup, was not too be denied this time.

“I was gutted one minute and elated the next because I really thought Alpine Wolf had grabbed us in the line,” Carr said.

“I am so rapt to win this race again with this horse because it was by accident that I ended up getting to ride this horse in races.

“I was the at trials one day and John (Blacker) asked if I would ride him and the horse and I got on so well that John asked me to stay with him and I’m so glad I did.”

Swoop Dog is a former star three-year-old that lost his way slightly at four but after a decent spell at the end of his last preparation he returned totally rejuvenated.

“We gave him a decent spell and he really appreciated it,” Blacker said.

“The Devonport Cup has al“We’ll ways been his main mission and winning the Longford Cup along the way was a bonus.

“He was second in this race last year, beaten in a photo-finish so to get the result go our way this year is great.”

Swoop Dog was tried over longer ground 2100-2400m but failed to stay, but Blacker is prepared to give him another try. most likely take him to the Summer Cup (2200m) in 12 days and that’s a weight-forage race and see how he goes, and if he does well, then we’ll progress to the Hobart Cup.”

The connections of Alpine Wolf, while disappointed, were pleased with the gelding’s effort and they too could progress to the Sumer Cup or go back to weight-for-age company where he will again have to encounter The Inevitable that is taking all before him this season in feature weightfor-age events.

Dramazing was again running on powerfully at the business end and she could be a sneaky chance to progress to a Hobart or Launceston cup.

With no Covid restrictions the seams were bursting at Spreyton Park with an estimated crowd of over 4500.