Swayzee connections claim $250,000 Carnival of Cups Bonus

20 January 2025

Menangle-based pacer Swayzee has become the first horse to win a Carnival of Cups Bonus since the revamped series was introduced in 2023.

Swayzee’s success in last Friday’s $60,000 Tamworth City Cup, The Dish at Parkes last September as well as the Cherry City Cup at Young last November has earned his connections the $250,000 Bonus.

The division of the bonus will be split on the same percentage of prizemoney distributions with 85 per cent to the owners, 10 per cent to the trainer and five per cent to the driver.

However, Swayzee has a chance to extend this Bonus.

If he can win the $60,000 Murray Cup at the Albury Carnival of Cups on February 14, the Bonus will extend to $500,000.

And if Swayzee is to also win the $60,000 Renshaw Cup at Penrith on March 15, that Bonus will be $1million!

The gelding’s most recent success in Tamworth was effortless, as he worked his way to the lead from his second-row draw and dictated throughout.

Driven by Cameron Hart, Swayzee zipped home in closing quarters of 28.3 and 28 seconds to hold out former stablemate Cya Art by more than two metres and Master Catch in third.

He rated 1:58.3 for the 2360m feature.

“I thought he was great,” said Hart of the Jason Grimson-trained pacer.

“We were able to get to the front quite early and control the race . . . I was really happy with how he felt the last lap.

“It was only a 2360m race and I was able to control the front . . . Master Catch and Cya Art can run a good half on a small track like this and there was no surprise that they were still there at the top of the straight, but I was always confident he (Swayzee) would pick up as soon as they come near him.”