Caulfield trainer Aaron Purcell is hoping Swacadelic can go one better this year when he steps out in the Listed $150,000 Sandown Cup (3200m) on the Ladbrokes Park Hillside track at Sandown on Saturday.
Swacadelic, above in purple and gold colours, will get a 2nd chance to to try to win the Sandown Cup. Photo Ultimate Racing Photos.
Swacadelic ran second to the English stayer Qewy in last year’s Sandown Cup and the German import is one of fifteen horses nominated for this year’s 3200m staying test.
Purcell is happy with Swacadelic’s latest form that saw him a winner three starts in the Listed $120,000 R.M. Ansett Classic (2430m) at Mornington on September 30.
The seven year old hasn’t been far off the pace at his next two starts for a fifth in a 2400m BenchMark 84 Handicap at Caulfield followed by a third in a 2800m BenchMark 96 Handicap at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day and Purcell said that a good solid tempo in the Sandown Cup would give the import his best chance of winning.
“I think he’s going into the race as good as ever,” Purcell told AAP.
“The trip’s no worries but when they stop and start that finds him out, so as long as they roll along he’ll be right in the finish.”
Swacadelic will carry the 54kg minimum in the Sandown Cup while the James Cummings trained Havana Cooler will lump the top weight of 60kg with Gallic Chieftain and Bersiha each allocated 57.5kg.
The Darren Weir trained Gallic Chieftain was beaten a whisker when second to Vengeur Masque in the Group 3 $300,000 Geelong Cup (2400m) at Geelong on October 25 and was then fifth to the same horse in the Group 3 $300,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on day four of the 2017 Melbourne Cup Carnival last Saturday.
Havana Cooler is also coming out of a run during Melbourne Cup week after finishing fifth to Cismontane in the Group 3 $300,000 Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on November 4.
2017 Sandown Cup weights
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 333x0x7965 | HAVANA COOLER (IRE) | G | 8 | James Cummings | 1 | 60kg | 100 |
| 2 | 3811×76325 | GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) | H | 5 | Darren Weir | 2 | 57.5kg | 95 |
| 3 | 73×0000295 | BERISHA | G | 6 | Robert Smerdon | 3 | 57.5kg | 95 |
| 4 | 260×504681 | FANATIC (NZ) | M | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 4 | 55kg | 94 |
| 5 | 0x00840153 | SWACADELIC (GER) | G | 7 | Aaron Purcell | 5 | 54kg | 84 |
| 6 | 1x30x46581 | DOUKHAN (IRE) | G | 9 | Kris Lees | 6 | 54kg | 79 |
| 7 | 4x0x805668 | DARABAD (FR) | G | 5 | Robbie Laing | 7 | 54kg | 78 |
| 8 | 910×002340 | SLY ROMANCE (NZ) | G | 6 | Richard Laming | 8 | 54kg | 76 |
| 9 | x317355106 | KAWABATA | M | 6 | Jamie Edwards | 9 | 54kg | 75 |
| 10 | 1541598×14 | CHOYSA (NZ) | G | 7 | Wayne Walters | 10 | 54kg | 70 |
| 11 | 50×4137129 | ZILBIYR (FR) | G | 5 | Robert Kingston | 11 | 54kg | 69 |
| 12 | 8×90939323 | O’COUNEY (NZ) | M | 6 | David Noonan | 12 | 54kg | 64 |
| 13 | 8512314613 | ZOFFANY ROSE | M | 4 | David & Coral Feek | 13 | 54kg | 62 |
| 14 | 7251542514 | CHERON WARRIOR | G | 5 | Peter Healey | 14 | 54kg | 62 |
| 15 | 7×80005142 | I CARUS | G | 5 | Christopher Diplock | 15 | 54kg | 54 |