Swayzee down but not out at IDs

By Adam Hamilton

Swayzee's 10-race winning streak ended and a potential chink is his armour was revealed in last night’s second round of Brisbane Inter Dominion heats at Albion Park.

The New Zealand Cup hero had to be content with a solid, but well-held third to emerging local star Speak The Truth in the first of last night’s 2138m heats.

It was always going to be a challenge for Swayzee from an awkward inside back row draw, but young gun Cam Hart got him away from the inside and into the running line inside the first 800m.

But Swayzee was shuffled back to worse than midfield in the running line when former Victorian Cup winner Rock N Roll Doo found the spot outside the leader, Speak The Truth.

Hart launched Swayzee with a three-wide run at the 700m, but Speak The Truth ripped home in 54.7 and 27.2sec to beat Petes Said So, who trailed him by 1.8m without 4m away to Swayzee in third spot.

It was the first time Swayzee hasn’t been up front and dictating his races since joining Grimson’s stable.

But Hart, who won the second of last night’s heats on stablemate Nerano, wasn’t fazed with Swayzee’s defeat.

“There’s no decision for me to make as far as a final drive goes, I’ll be sticking with Swayzee,” he said.

Rock N Roll Doo became the first high-profile casualty of the series when he wilted to finish 11th. After only running seventh on night one, his hopes of making the final are over.

Speak The Truth’s driver Adam Sanderson was buzzing after the win and thinks he can be a major player in the final.

“I thought last Friday night was the best he’s ever felt, but he was better again tonight,” he said. “He feels so sharp this preparation and was still strong on the line. Stepping-up in distance will also suit him,” he said.

Speak The Truth’s 1min51.8sec mile rate for 2138m was just 0.1sec outside Leap To Fame’s track record.

Nerano booked his spot in the final with his blazing win last night following a terrific second to Leap To Fame in round one.

“He’s a super quick horse, probably as quick as I’ve driven over 200-300m,” Hart said. “He’s not one-dimensional either. I really pushed him out for the first 100m to get a spot, but they he relaxed beautifully and sprinted very strongly at the finish.”

Nerano overpowered opening night winner Better Eclipse, who did the work outside the leader, while Turn It Up led and ran a close third.

Leap To Fame remained the only unbeaten pacer in the series when he dug deep after doing plenty of work to win the third of last night’s heats.

NSW pacer Our Money Rocks led and ran a great race for third in quick time, while dual Miracle Mile runner-up Spirit Of St Louis sat behind the leader, got an inside run and ran second.

Leap To Fame’s mile rate was a slick 1min52.2sec, just 0.5sec outside his own track record.

“It was a harder run than we wanted,” Leap To Fame’s trainer-driver Grant Dixon said. “He certainly had a hard run. Hopefully tonight hasn’t taken too much out of him as he stretches out his pet distance over the 2600m on Saturday night.”

In the trotting series, Kiwi-bred Ollivici remained unbeaten through the heats with a last-stride win over Queen Elida.

Trainer-driver Chris Lang made the most of a sit just behind local speedster Gus and Queen Elida through a frantic middle burn and arrived just in time in a slick 1min56.2sec mile rate.

“I know they went hard, but I had to do the donkey work chasing them,” Lang said. “He had to come three-wide around the turn … he’s done a good job.”

Queen Elida’s run was much better than night one considering the petrol she spent through the middle stages.

Defending champion Just Believe made made is six successive Inter Dominion race wins in a row when he sat parked to narrowly rundown leader and main danger Plymouth Chubb last night.

Just Believe won all three heats and the final of last year's Melbourne Inter Dominion and has added both heats of this Brisbane series.

Plymouth Chubb lost no admirers after galloping in the score-up, chasing hard to get back on the gate, working to the lead and only going down by a half a neck in a 1min56.9sec mile rate.

"He just keeps getting the job done and making us look good. He's all round package and felt great again tonight," co-trainer and driver Greg Sugars said.

The last round of Inter Dominion heats are at Albion Park on Saturday night.