News

Tommy Swears he's a Derby horse

3rd Sep 2016

Swear will look to become the third Inglis graduate in the past five years to win the Group 1 Victoria Derby following his impressive first-up victory at Randwick on Saturday.

Swear was well supported to win his first spring assignment, the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) and didn’t let punters down.

The Team Hawkes-trained three-year-old (Redoute’s Choice x Crossyourheart) was purchased for $725,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sales in 2015 by Spendthrift Australia.

When given the horse to train, the Hawkes’ always knew the youngster was too raw to make an early two-year-old, hence giving the colt just the one start as a juvenile in April at Hawkesbury.

He won impressively that day and was tipped straight out with a view to possibly heading to Melbourne later this Spring, and jockey Tommy Berry thinks it’s the right way to go.

Swear will likely take a traditional Sydney path to the Derby – via the Gloaming Stakes and Spring Champion Stakes – before heading south.

Should he win the Derby on the first day of Melbourne Cup week, Swear would join fellow Inglis graduates Polanski (2013) and Fiveandahalfstar (2012) as recent winners of the race.

“He feels like a Derby horse. We feel like, I think that would be his aim,’’ Berry said.

“He’ll definitely stay the trip I think. He’s got a beautiful big action and to be honest I was surprised to see him win so well today over the seven furlongs.

“That said, John won’t press him too hard if he’s not ready for it.’’

For the Hawkes’, Swear’s win continued the stable’s dominance of three-year-old races for the season, taking their tally to 12.

Swear also became the sixth Inglis graduate to win a three-year-old Stakes race this season alongside Omei Sword (Silver Shadow), Thronum (The Rosebud), Russian Revolution (Vain Stakes), Defcon (McNeil Stakes) and I Am A Star (Quezette Stakes).

Meanwhile Voodoo Lad took the honours for most freakish win of the day when he came from last to claim the Listed SAJ Fruit Supply Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Voodoo Lad, a $36,000 buy for Segenhoe Thoroughbreds at the 2013 Inglis Scone Yearling Sales, missed the start and appeared to have no hope of victory.

But jockey Chris Parnham didn’t panic and flew late to give Voodoo Lad his third win from his past five starts and keep his unbeaten place record alive after 15 starts.