Fell Swoop to be kept fresh for Doomben 10000

Canberra sprinter Fell Swoop will be kept fresh in an attempt to claim his first Group 1 victory when he contests the Group 1 $700,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1200m) at Doomben on May 13.

Fell Swoop, above, will head towards the Doomben 10000 without another run. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Fell Swoop, above, will head towards the Doomben 10000 without another run. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Trainer Matthew Dale had nominated Fell Swoop for the Group 2 $200,000 Ellyce Galvin Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm but decided to forego the chance of collecting back to back wins in the weight for age sprint and will give the five year old a barrier trial at Goulburn on Friday before heading to Queensland.

“It is nothing to do with being afraid of any other runner or anything to do with reports about the track,” Dale told AAP.

“He is being aimed at the (Group One) Doomben 10,000 in a bit over two weeks which is now being run at 1200 metres.

“The idea is to keep him on the fresh side after his last-start third in the TJ Smith Stakes.”

“He deserves a Group One win and this will give him his best chance.”

The Doomben 10000 has been brought forward with a reduction in distance from 1350m to 1200m for this year’s revamped Brisbane Winter Carnival while the BTC Cup has had a name chance, a distance change and a venue change and will now be known as the Group 1 $700,000 Darley Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) to be run at Eagle Farm on May 27.

Fell Swoop has been placed on five occasions at Group 1 level including a last start third behind Chautauqua and English in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 1.

Fell Swoop first appeared on the Group 1 scene with a nose second to Flamberge in the Group 1 $500,000 Clamms Seafood Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield during the 2016 Melbourne Autumn Carnival and then two starts later was runner up again to Chautauqua in the 2016 T J Smith Stakes.

When he returned to racing in the 2016 Spring Carnival Fell Swoop collected two more Group 1 minor placings with a second to Rebel Dane in the $1m Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley followed by a third behind Malaguerra and Spieth in the $1m Darley Classic (1200m) down the Flemington straight on the last day of the four day Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Fell Swoop heads the early market order for the Doomben 10000 at $7 with Ladbrokes.com.au just ahead of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bot trained English, Team Snowden’s three year old Russian Revolution and Group 1 winner Takedown all marked at $8.

Early market order for the Doomben 10000 at Ladbrokes.com.au: $7 Fell Swoop, $8 English, Russian Revolution, Takedown, $11 Redzel, Start Wondering, $13 Hellbent, Music Magnate, $15 Terravista,, $17 Chetwood, Counterattack, Danish Twist, Illustrious Lad, In Her Time, $21 Flamberge, Glenall, Impending, Pinch River, Rebel Dane, Splurge, $26 or better the rest.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.