Swayzee winning the 2025 Tamworth City Cup. Photo by Brett Atkins
Champion pacer Swayzee already has a $250,000 Carnival of Cups bonus in the bag and could double it when he heads to Albury on Friday night.
The Jason Grimson-trained superstar landed the bonus by winning the first three cups of the series at Parkes, Young and Tamworth and can stretch it to $500,000 by taking out the Murray Cup.
Success at Albury will mean Swayzee would then be chasing a cool $1 million bonus when he aims for a clean sweep of the series at Penrith in March.
It's remarkable to think what else Swayzee has achieved since his Carnival of Cups campaign began in September, adding three more Group 1 victories to his resume in that time – the Victoria Cup, a second New Zealand Cup and this month's Hunter Cup.
That last victory took his winning streak to seven and showed all of Swayzee's best qualities when he found the front, was challenged by some of the best pacers in Australasia but dug deep to hold off his arch rival Leap To Fame in what turned out to be a modern-day classic.
Swayzee's key to success through the Carnival of Cups has been his ability to push to the front from back row draws before proving too fast and tough for his rivals.
It's a tactic driver Cameron Hart will no doubt look to employ again at Albury but he does face an interesting new challenger in David Moran's Captain Hammerhead.
His form can be up and down but he is a talent on his day and brings some different form lines to what Swayzee has been tackling on the carnival of cups circuit.
He was first past the post when resuming two back in the Shepparton Cup but later disqualified and there was merit in his latest outing where he worked for fifth at Melton.
He races well third-up and has enough speed to try to take over Swayzee's customary role in front so could make a race of it.
Cya Art was runner-up and less than 3m behind Swayzee the last time they clashed in the Tamworth Cup.
The winner probably had a bit in hand on that occasion and it's unlikely he can improve enough topple the champ but he can get into the money again.
For the exotics, Western Sonador worked but toughed out a Wedderburn Cup win last start so is a first four player along with Diamond Eclipse who has finished second in two Melton outings since a Shepparton win, the latest at Listed level.
