Swain looks for a clean sweep in the Christmas Stocking

By Isaac Murphy

Northern Rivers trainer Fred Swain is no stranger to Thursday night success, with his boom Barcia Bale/Fay’s Magic litter picking up a treble of winners in late August.

With the borders open, Swain is back bringing Tribal Magic, Gloves Back On and Rattle The Gate to tomorrow night’s Christmas Stocking heats where he’ll attempt to repeat the dose.

Swain was among the raft of trainers who did it tough during border closures but was excited as anyone to have three live chances in the Fifth-Grade heats.

“It’s been a big relief to be able to come back to Brisbane and race them, they’re all out-graded down here, and I’ve been struggling to find suitable races for them,” Swain said.

“There were times with this litter where it’d be three weeks between runs, and it was even tougher with the maidens who you don’t want to throw to the wolves over the 400 metres.

“Thankfully things are getting back to normal now and a Fifth Grade Series like this is just what the doctor ordered; all three of them are around that class or a little better, hopefully I’m bringing three back next week.”

Tribal Magic gets the ball rolling in heat three, and coming off a narrow defeat Swain thinks she’s due.

“I’ve got a lot of time for her; she’s a professional little bitch who knows how to get out of the boxes, she almost cleared them last week and went down by a head - she wins if she leads,” he said.

“She’s a bitch that’s really knocking on the door for a win, you can see it in her results but the way she carries herself as well, she’s up and about.

“I’m not too worried about the box draw (five), the field is very similar to what she saw last week and it doesn’t seem to bother her where she jumps from.”

Gloves Back On comes up in heat four and Swain is hoping some savvy training can have him bouncing out of box seven over the sprint.

“I thought Gloves Back On might struggle a bit late over the 600 and he has, but with two minor placings he’s been more than handy,” he said.

“He just hadn’t been jumping over the sprint trip, so I thought I’d put him up to the 600 to get out of the boxes first and he’s led on both occasions, hopefully that helps him from box seven tomorrow night.

“The race could be won and lost in the run to the post; Oski for Darren Russell in box six is a very good bitch, but if we can squeeze her up early we just might get the fly - and he’s very strong home.”

Rattle The Gate has flown under the radar amongst the litter, and has to wait until the final heat to hit the track.

He can be enigmatic, but Swain thinks he’ll get every chance.

“Rattle The Gate has had a niggling injury with his webbing which hasn’t helped him his last few starts, but we think he’s over that and expect him to go well this week,” he said.

“He’s a bit different from the rest of the litter, he doesn’t come out running but if he gets a cosy run in behind them, he can really explode late.

“He’s one I’ve got earmarked for the 600 in the future, I think he has a few more wins to come over the sprint before we get there though.”

In unfortunate news for the kennel, litter star All Hands Off has been ruled out of the Summer Carnival through injury.

Widely acknowledged as one of the country’s most exciting young bitches, Swain will have to bide his time.

“We were really excited about All Hands Off going into the Lismore Cup, she’d been flying and was going in favourite at a track she’s seen plenty of and unfortunately did a wrist injury in the run,” he said.

“The goal was to get her healthy and set her for the Golden Ticket and Gold Bullion in early January, she got over the wrist injury but dropped a pin going up the straight, so she’ll miss out this year.

“It’s only a six to eight-week injury but the timing couldn’t have been worse, she’s only young and will get another crack at the big races soon.”