Trainer John O’Shea is hopeful that his three year old Sweynesse will sneak into the final field for the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 4.
Trainer John O’Shea is hopeful Sweynesse, above, will sneak into the Doncaster Mile field. Photo by Steve Hart.
Sweynesse is currently listed as forty-fifth in the order of entry for the Doncaster Mile on the first day of ‘The Championships’ and O’Shea has calculated that he and stablemate It’s Somewhat can gain a place in the final twenty.
“I am really optimistic that they will get a run,” O’Shea told Sky Racing HQ.
“A few little sums that we did ourselves yesterday had them sneaking into the field, with Kermadec maybe first emergency but then again I think he will make the field.”
“It will be a really good version with the three year olds dominating the market.”
Chris Waller holds the key to the final make-up of the Doncaster Mile field and at the moment has eleven horses above It’s Somewhat (38th) and Sweynesse (45th) in the order of entry.
But not all of them are likely to accept and as O’Shea points out, Waller’s best chance is the three year old Kermadec who is below Sweynesse in the order of entry.
“I think he will get in,” O’Shea said of Sweynesse’s chance to make the field.
“Chris (Waller) holds the key a little bit, and I would think his best chance being Kermadec, he will be endeavouring that he makes the field. So being that Sweynesse is ahead of Kermadec, I think that he will get in.”
“Historically horses with the form of Sweynesse and Kermadec have always made the field, albeit you probably have a stronger version of the Doncaster this year, I still think those sought of horses have made Doncaster fields and this year will be no different.”
Godolphin’s English import It’s Somewhat scored at his first Australian start, beating Rudy in the Group 3 $150,000 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Warwick Farm on February 28 before finishing ninth to Real Impact in the Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 21.
O’Shea has been working Sweynesse towards a start in the Doncaster Mile and the plan was always to drop the Lonhro colt back to 1600m after running fourth to Volkstock’N’Barrell in the Group 1 $500,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas over 2000m at Rosehill on March 21.
Kermadec also put in a good trial for the Doncaster Mile and made up plenty of ground in the straight after missing the start to finish third in the George Ryder Stakes.
The tough Japanese galloper Real Impact jumped to the top of the Doncaster Mile market order at $6 at Ladbrokes.com.au with the three year olds occupying the next three places in the betting with Hallowed Crown at $8, Kermadec at $10 and Sweynesse at $11.
Royal Descent is the next best of the Waller stable at $13 while It’s Somewhat is marked as a $15 chance.
