Promising sprinter Sweynesday (NZ) (Sweyness) claimed victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie in sensational circumstances after race favourite Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) crashed into the inside running rail when looking set for victory at the 100m mark.
The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained son of Novara Park stallion Sweynesse jumped nicely from an outside barrier draw and went forward to sit outside Alabama Lass as she set up a steady speed in front.
Rider Masa Hashizume took Sweynesday up to challenge Alabama Lass for the front at the 300m as the pair set down to fight out the finish.
Alabama Lass had more up her sleeve and edged clear of her challenger, however, just as she looked set for victory, she ducked in sharply and crashed into the rail, in the process dislodging rider Sam Collett, who was thankfully uninjured in the melee.
Gifted the front, Sweynesday held out the late run of Aussie raider Cote Atlantique (Kodiac), with Platinum Attack (Santos) finishing on well for third.
James was philosophical about the victory with his first thoughts going to the owners of Alabama Lass and her trainers Ken and Bev Kelso.
“It’s not the way you want to win a race as I was standing next to one of the owners of Alabama Lass, who I know very well, while I used to show jump many years ago with Ken and Bev (Kelso),” James said.
“I feel for them but we will take it (the win).
“He is a very good horse and wasn’t that well weighted today as he was giving weight to Alabama Lass, while he also started from the outside barrier.
“He is a very good horse and we do have a race called the Stradbroke (Gr.1, 1400m) in the back of our minds, which may now become a reality that he has a few more dollars in the bank.”
James was referring to the A$3million Gr.1 Stradbroke (1400m) which will be run at Eagle Farm on 13 June.
Hashizume was thankful for the win, acknowledging the race favourite may have had his measure before she faltered.
“We had a wide barrier and had no choice but to go forward,” he said. “He (Sweynesday) responded well and relaxed well outside the pace.
“We were travelling well outside the favourite, and he was coming after her, but he had the luck today.”
Sweynesday was purchased out of Pertab Racing’s 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale draft by Eric Koh, King Power and Bevan Smith Bloodstock for $80,000, and races in the colours of Koh’s Falcon Racing for whom he has earned $398,800 from his six wins and four minor placings from 10 starts.
Thankfully Alabama Lass returned unharmed from the incident although she will undergo a thorough veterinary examination in the aftermath of the race.