Swayzee led throughout, beating Leap To Fame for a second time and scoring the biggest Australian win of his career in last year’s Hunter Cup.
But the champion stayer, who has also won the iconic NZ Cup twice, was struck by an intestinal infection just weeks later and Boots wondered whether he would race again.
“We were very worried there for a while,” he said. “Some horses don’t make it and many others don’t come back the same.
“It’s a huge credit to Jason (Grimson, trainer), who gave him the time he needed, got him back racing bigger than ever and allowed him to build back up to top condition.”
The setback came shortly after Swayzee returned from an attack in Perth, where he finished fourth in the $1.25 million Group 1 Nullarbor on April 25.
He didn’t race for almost five months, missed the Brisbane Inter Dominion series and had just four more starts in 2025, being defeated in all cases.
Swayzee started better this year, winning his first two starts, including an epic victory over reigning Miracle Mile winner Don Hugo in the Goulburn Cup.
“That’s the win that showed us he was really back,” Boots said. “That was the Swayzee of old.”
Boots warned not to put too much stock in Swayzee’s sixth place in last Saturday’s Cranbourne Cup, behind Leap To Fame and Kingman.
“As soon as the draws came out, we knew he was having problems with the other two draws,” he said. “Cam (Hart, driver) was delighted with his run considering he finished last again and how the race was run.
“He came on really strong in the 50m and Cam said he felt so strong after the line that he kept going into the straight, which is a great sign if he’s feeling good.
“The race showed how important barriers are in these big races and the Hunter Cup will be no different.
“We beat Leap To Fame twice when we played better than him.
‘We’re going to need that again and now you also have Kingman.
“These are great horses. You’ve got to hand it to them. Leap To Fame is a champion, one of the best we’ve ever seen, and Kingman is the new kid on the block.”
The Hunter Cup draw is live on Sky Racing tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9.30am.
Swayzee is one of two Group 1 hopefuls that Boots, who races more than 300 horses, has on Saturday night.
The other is the brilliant young mare Captains Mistress, who is chasing her fourth win in as many starts since joining Grimson’s stable in the $150,000 Queen of the Pacific, Victoria’s premier mare race.
“I love her. She is so exciting and is starting to challenge Swayzee as my favorite horse,” said Boots.
Through Adam Hamiltonfor Harness Racing New Zealand
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