Canberra trained sprinter Fell Swoop has continued to attract plenty of money and is now at single figure odds for the Group 1 $1m Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley tonight.
Fell Swoop, above, has been well supported in the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley. Photo by Daniel Costello.
The Matt Dale trained Fell Swoop has firmed in from $12 to be equal third in the betting at Ladbrokes.com.au at $9 with Sydney sprinter English from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable.
The world’s highest rated sprinter Chautauqua sits at the top of the market order at $2.60, a clear favourite ahead of the Golden Slipper winner Capitalist at $7.
Fell Swoop will probably settle around midfield from barrier three in the eleven horse Manikato Stakes field with Hugh Bowman in the saddle again after they combined for a first up third behind Star Turn and Malaguerra in the Group 2 $400,000 Mitsubishi Electric Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on October 8.
Dale had contemplated giving Fell Swoop three weeks in between runs and was going to wait for the Group 2 $300,000 tab.com.au Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on October 29 but after the five year old recovered quicker than expected from his first up run, he changed plans and now he will line up tonight in the Manikato Stakes.
“Originally after the first-up run we were thinking of the Manikato, or the old Salinger up the straight at Flemington a week later,” Dale says.
“My initial thoughts were towards three weeks between runs.
“But after five or six days it was apparent that Fell Swoop had pulled up really, really well and that led to the decision to go to the Manikato.”
Fell Swoop has been to Moonee Valley once for a win in the Listed $120,000 The Cup Club Stakes just over twelve months ago over the same distance as the Manikato Stakes and Dale is keen to get him back to the saucer shaped track.
“When he won the Cup Club Stakes at Mooney Valley last year he was a lot more fluid in his action and he seemed more balanced around there,” Dale said.
Fell Swoop is yet to win at Group 1 level but was placed twice over the Autumn when second to Flamberge in the Group 1 $500,000 Clamms Seafood Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield and two starts later ran second to Chautauqua in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 2, the first day of ‘The Championships’.
The Not A Single Doubt gelding’s best win was during the 2016 Brisbane Winter Carnival when he beat Didntcostalot in the Group 2 $200,000 National Fire Industry Association QLD Victory Stakes (1200m) at Doomben.
Market order for the Manikato Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.60 Chautauqua, $7 Capitalist, $9 English, Fell Swoop, $9.50 Holler, $11 Buffering, $15 Lucky Hussler, The Quarterback, $26 Under The Louvre, $31 Japonisme, $51 Rebel Dane.
