Trainer Matthew Dale's already firm belief that star Canberra galloper Fell Swoop would be "up to his eyeballs" in The Kosciuszko has been further boosted by a positive report from master jockey Hugh Bowman.
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The former rider of retired superstar Winx rode Fell Swoop for Dale in a recent barrier trial at Rosehill, when the eight-year-old gelding was fifth of nine over behind I Am Excited over 893m. Fell Swoop led, but wasn't asked to do anything in the straight and gently cruised home from there.
"It was just what we wanted to see from the horse," Dale said. "We don't over-trial him and Hughie knows him from previous preparations. He said the horse felt really good and did exactly as he was asked, so he's right on track to kick off on Saturday."
That will be in the Chandler Macleod Stakes, a listed race over 1200m at Moonee Valley.
Fell Swoop, a proven weight-for-age sprinter, has scored 10 wins and had nine placings from his 36 starts for $1,971,920 in prizemoney. Winning first-up at the Valley would see him burst through the $2 million barrier with the first-prize cheque for $84,000 from the $140,000 event.
"That would be a great achievement in itself," Dale said. "But we just want to see him return well and all the indicators are really positive. I expect him to be a winning chance in a race like that.
"We've got Ben Melham booked to ride him. Ben's in super form down there in Melbourne and although he hasn't ridden Fell Swoop before I think his style will suit him well. Fell Swoop actually won this same race four years ago - it was his first Listed success."
Dale's plan with Fell Swoop after Moonee Valley is to go three weeks into another Listed race, at Caulfield, and then three weeks into the $1.3 million The Kosciuszko for country-trained horses over 1200m at Randwick on October 19.
Last spring Fell Swoop was good enough to get a start in The Everest, while in the autumn he ran in the TJ Smith Stakes. In that most recent campaign he was still good enough to run second in a Group Two race over 1200m at the Valley and sixth in the Oakleigh Plate over 1100m at Caulfield.
The way The Kosciuszko works is that $5 tickets in a draw for the slots can be purchased through a variety of TAB outlets until Sunday. The draw is made on Tuesday. The slot-holders then do deals on agreed prizemoney splits with connections of horses they want to run for them.
Fell Swoop is currently the third favourite at $8 in TAB Sportsbet fixed odds betting on the race and is bound to have slot-holders trying to quickly snap him up.
"It's going to be interesting to see what happens after they do the draw," Dale said.
Dale also has four-year-old mare Notation as a contender for The Koscisuzko. She will be trying to attract interest just ahead of the draw when she runs second-up in the Mona Lisa Stakes, a Listed race over 1350m at Wyong tomorrow.
- Racing NSW
