Swampland surges late to topple short-priced favourite
PROMISING three-year-old Swampland recorded its third career win from 10 starts after running down short-priced favourite Moonlites Choice to score at Flemington on Saturday.
The back-to-back-wins seeking filly was slowly away but from a good barrier was able to camp on the back of the favourite and received a great cart into the race. The horse came off the back of the Weir-trained top elect at the ideal time to salute and returned $9.10 at Crownbet.com.au.
Swampland wins raced by Stutt family, colours of late Bill Stutt, former chairman of Moonee Valley & architect of Cox Plate #greatracingman
— Bryan Martin OAM (@bmracingclub) July 22, 2017
Moonlites Choice ($1.90 at Bet365.com.au) held on to claim second while Princess Of Queens battled on well to claim third and returned $2.50 at WilliamHill.com.au.
Jockey Chris Symonds said Swampland had no excuses after receiving a beautiful run in transit.
“We just had the perfect run,” the hoop said.
The winning jockey joked that it was good to get one over his rival and current Victorian Jockey premiership leader Craig Williams.
Chris Symons – that ride was elite on Swampland
— Mark Colwell (@MarkPColwell) July 22, 2017
“She’s always tardy away, we drew well but she just doesn’t muster that speed early, but I got onto the back of Craig (Williams aboard Moonlites Choice), I knew he was going to take me into the race and I just out-rode him.”
Stable representative Matthew Jenkins said it was a stellar win for the Dwyer Camp.
“It’s been a horse that’s needed a lot of luck lately,” Jenkins said.
“In the last few starts she’s been luckless but it was good to see Chris give her a good ride and have a win.”
Swampland’s strode up beautifully alongside the favourite after peeling off its back and put the race beyond doubt as the post loomed, and the stable representative said he had little doubt the horse had the ability to win after getting a good cart into the straight.
“She’s always showed that she’s got a good turn of foot but hasn’t been able to show it a lot because, as I said, she’s been a bit luckless,” Jenkins elaborated.
“So it’s just good to see her get clear running and show her turn of foot.”
The win was the second consecutive win for the filly, which has now won three of its 10 career starts, but it has not always gone to plan for the daughter of Redwood.
Swampland had to overcome internal bleeding sustained at the beginning of the month before it could return to racing, but Jenkins said it is good to see the horse overcome those issues and resume its winning ways.
“She had a little bit of a bleed,” he said.
“It’s good to see her win again.”