Sway a Champ in The Making

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By ARSENE ABITBOL - 1 JUNE 2009 - 00.09 pm
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The name is Sway, she is a three-year-old hurdler, trained by Guy Cherel in France. Victorious for her debut in the Prix Geographie, a 24,000 £ prize for unraced fillies over the minimum trip of 15 furlongs at Auteuil, the daughter of Califet disposed comfortably of her immediate rivals, made of stablemate Formerly -2nd- , Sakura des Bieffes, - 3rd - trained by master handler Guillaume Macaire, and Francois-Marie Cottin-trained Maryota -4th-. Until then, nothing outstanding, except perhaps the ease of her victory, relegating close opponents 6, 14, and 24 lenghts away.
A solid apprenticeship that led us to assume there was scope for further improvement. Now, what about it -the improvement - ?

On Friday 29th May, on her second outing only, Sway was stepped up in class in the Prix d'Iena, a 39,000£ Listed-Race contested over 2 miles and 2 furlongs at the same parisian track, taking on Tarla, - 2nd - a dual course and distance winner and Zandalee, another course and distance winner who notched third on her debut prior to that.

Well regarded front-runner Zandalee set a solid tempo before she was outstayed by

Tarla, the latter outpaced by Sway, who was storming home in outstanding fashion.
So far, so good, but still, nothing to get carried away with.

Only here comes an additional piece of evidence that entitles us to get carried away : 1'11'60! In addition to a quick rhythm, courtesy of Zandalee, the last five furlongs were rounded up in 1'11''60! An exceptional time over hurdles. Even though inappropriate but incredibly telling, top middle-distance horses would cover the last 1000 metres in around 1''00 on the Flat.

This means two things : On top of being unbeaten, Sway has proved she possesses pace - Sire Califet grabbed 4th in Marienbard's 2002 Arc - and stamina, and is outrageously agile over hurdles. How else could you handle obstacles at such pace? You have to be extremely talented. She is promised to the brightest career and major stables like Paul Nicholls' and Nicky Henderson's, always keen on French imports, will be monitoring her progress very closely.

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Sources : TV - http:/www.racingPost.com - .
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