THERE were no fireworks, but still plenty of smiles after NZ Cup winners Kingman and Swayzee trialled together at Menangle this morning.
The superstar pair, who have won the past three NZ Cup between them, were there to sharpen-up before crossing the ditch again for Friday week’s $1 million The Race by Sport Nation at Cambridge.
The trial was important given Swayzee and Kingman have not raced since the Miracle Mile on March 14.
It was especially important for Kingman, who ran so far below his best in both a Miracle Mile qualifier and the Mile itself.
Both were driven off the pace and given easy times in a solidly run trial won by Captain Bellasario in a slick 1min50.6sec mile.
The closing splits were 54.6 and 27sec flat with Kingman working home for third under his own steam and Swayzee being hard held by Cam Hart on Kingman’s back in fifth spot, just 9.7m from the winner.
This will be Swayzee’s third trip to NZ and he is trying to protect an unbeaten record in the country with his two starts netting wins in the 2023 and 2024 NZ Cups.
Kingman is also unbeaten in NZ with his two wins coming in the NZ Cup on November 11 last year and the Group 1 Christian Cullen at Addington 10 days later.
Significantly, both pacers have beaten Leap To Fame three times in their careers.
Leap To Fame won last year’s Race by Sport Nation champion and booked on a flight from Sydney to Auckland on Tuesday week to defend his crown. - Adam Hamilton
