Sweynesday building towards first Australian win
Rob Archibald believes Sweynesday (NZ) (Sweynesse) is approaching his best form ahead of Saturday’s A$1 million Listed The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle, where the gelding will chase his first Australian victory.
The six-year-old has made two encouraging appearances since joining the Warwick Farm partnership of Annabel and Rob Archibald, finishing fifth in the Gr.2 Caulfield Sprint (1000m) before a fast-finishing second in the Gr.3 Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
Already a Group Three winner, Sweynesday finished third behind Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) and Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel) in January’s Railway Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie before transferring across the Tasman this season.
“He was Group One placed before we got him, so he was very well credentialled,” Archibald said.
“Our job was to get him back to that level.
“I feel like we're getting somewhere near that.
“His first two runs were good.
“First-up at Caulfield against the pattern, he closed off really well.
“At Flemington, he was excellent.
“He got a long way back and had to make a big run, and he was narrowly denied.
“He's building well.
“I'm not sure how many more runs he has this 'prep', whether this pulls him up.
“But he's certainly a really nice horse that I think can win some nice races.”
Alysha Collett takes the ride from barrier six, with Sweynesday one of six runners whose most recent appearances came in Victoria, bringing a different form line to the Newcastle feature.
“I suppose that's the beauty of being lightly raced, there's not too much wear and tear on the body,” Archibald said.
“He's still a fresh horse, very easy to train, and I really like him.
“He looks to get a lovely run on Saturday.
“He's going there in quite good form, different form lines to a lot of the other horses because he's coming out of Melbourne.
“But I can't fault him.
“He's going well.”
Sweynesday heads into Saturday’s assignment with a career record of 14 starts for six wins, four seconds and one third as he seeks his Australian breakthrough.
