Swoop Dog loves cups

HOBART, LAUNCESTON NEXT STOPS FOR WINNER

FORMER star three-year-old Swoop Dog has developed into a cups king with the John Blackertrained gelding adding the weightfor-age Summer Cup to his string of feature wins at Elwick on Sunday.

Swoop Dog began his cups-winning run in the Longford Cup on New Year’s Day and 10 days later he made up for a luckless second in the 2022 Devonport Cup with a game win in the Devonport club’s showcase event just under two weeks ago.

Blacker was delighted with the win and confirmed the son of Husson would progress to the $300,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Hobart Cup over 2400m in three weeks.

“This horse has always been a class act and this time in her has flourished and furnished into a very good galloper,” Blacker said.

“He lost his way a bit last season because we changed direction a couple of times to see where he fitted, but this time in we have had a clear path of where we want to go.

“He has been able to dominate at 1800m and now 2200m, so we will push on to the Hobart Cup and hopefully to the Launceston Cup,” Blacker said. Siggy Carr had Swoop Dog settled just off the speed set by outsider I’m So Cool ($61) with Rising Light ($16) in second spot and travelling sweetly for apprentice Erica Byrne Burke.

I’m So Cool was highballing it in front and led by six lengths before Carr opted to light up her charge at the 600m peg.

Within a blink of an eye Swoop Dog had charged to the lead and despite determined challenges in the home straight, the Devonport Cup winner proved too strong and won convincingly from Rising

Light with I’m So Cool sticking to his task to grab third ahead of sole interstate invader Dark Dream.

Blacker also saddled up Brighton Cup winner Glass Warrior who settled last and was still at the rear turning for home, but she rattled home late to finish sixth.

“I expected Glass Warrior to race a lot closer today, but circumstances obviously prevented that, but I was very happy with how she hit the line.”

DARK WANDERER is likely to head to the weight-for-age Thomas Lyons Stakes on Hobart Cup Day after scoring an impressive win in a benchmark 76 handicap over 1230m on Sunday.

The Sarah Cotton-trained gelding contested the weight-for-age Conquering Stakes (1400m) in November in which he finished a game third but he was then aimed at the Devonport Cup but didn’t appear to handle the synthetic surface when eighth of 10 in the Sheffield Cup, beaten by six lengths.

“He wasn’t comfortable on the synthetic in the Sheffield Cup, but back on the grass he’s dominated this race,” Cotton said.