The in-form Swinging High (gate 11, 54kg) will get her chance to make it three wins on the trot in the 1400m Class Three Highway Handicap at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Despite being put up as a 126/1 outsider by bookmakers, Mick is giving the 5YO Trapeze Artist mare every chance, sending her down on Friday, where she will settle in at Randwick before racing on Saturday.
“I’ve got runners at Goulburn today, and Graeme (Byatt) and Charlie (Murray) are going there with the truck, and I’ve got the car and float going to Sydney, where we will stay with Craig Carmody, which works out really well.”
Swinging High has been racing in great form since arriving at the Michael Travers Racing stables.
Kicking off her preparation, Amy O’Driscoll was in the saddle as the pair flashed late at Corowa on July 24, beaten less than two lengths in a 1000m Class One Handicap by the impressive Dekadance.
Since then, O’Driscoll has enjoyed good success on Swinging High, guiding the Wagga galloper to a strong win in the 1100m Benchmark 58 Handicap at Goulburn on August 11, before the pair backed up and comfortably won the 1200m Class Two Handicap at Wagga on August 28.
“She’s in a purple patch at the moment, and enjoying her racing,” Travers said.
“Funnily enough, she does nothing in her work, and a maiden horse would beat her during trackwork, but she turns up on race day, which is all that matters.”
Unfortunately for O’Driscoll, she has not been approved to ride in metropolitan races yet, so she won’t travel to Sydney, but a capable replacement, Rebecca Bronett Prag, will be in the saddle for connections.
With Rosehill a heavy eight at the time of publishing and Swinging High boasting good heavy track form (3:2-0-0), Travers is hopeful his mare will appreciate the conditions in Sydney.
“She’ll absolutely handle the heavy track,” Travers said.
“We haven’t had a chance to have her on a dry track, and on the wet, she has been good.
“From the draw, I’d say she will be midfield or further back, and from there, we’ll pray for some luck.”
It’s set to be a busy few days for Travers and his team, who have four runners at Goulburn on Friday, and another nine accepted to race at Corowa on Monday.
