Krysten Swaffer chasing great success in Northern Winter Carnival

By Andrew Smith

Winning a Cairns Cup would undoubtedly be a career highlight, but for Krysten Swaffer, simply being a part of the rich northern winter features would be exciting enough.

The jockey was on hand alongside fellow hoop Lauren Guernier at the launch of this year’s Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival in Cairns yesterday.

The carnival will see more than $4 million in prize money and bonuses go up for grabs over two thrilling months of racing, commencing in Rockhampton on July 9.

Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville will all play host to major Cup races and feature sprint days, before the carnival wraps up with Cairns Cup Day on Saturday, August 29.

Swaffer has been steadily building her time back in the saddle in the state’s north following the birth of daughter Lainey in April 2024.

While excited by the upcoming northern features, she has relished ticking off several milestones on and off the track since making her riding comeback in May of last year.

“Lainey just turned two last month, so that's going good, and my partner and I just recently bought a property,” Swaffer said.

“I completed my apprenticeship, so I'm now a senior jockey, and I ticked over my 100th win not too long ago, so we've had some good little wins lately.

“All the wins are pretty special, especially the ones from our barn - since I have come back to the saddle, I've mainly just been riding for the Rowes (co-trainers Trevor and Peter), so I just find every win has been a special one.

“You're still out there to win, and at the end of the day, you want to get home safely…having Lainey has definitely changed my perspective, but I still love it just as much as I did before I had her.”

Swaffer brought up the century of victories with Peachtree Flyer for the father-and-son team of Trevor and Peter Rowe in Innisfail last month.

The 27-year-old has 16 wins so far in the 2025/26 campaign, striking at 13%, while also boasting a 40% strike-rate for running in the top three.

The hoop is looking to add to the tally in some of the big winter events throughout the upcoming Northern Winter Carnival.

She has identified Rowe stable runners Kickagoal Kenny and Machine Head as her best chances in the coming months.

“There is definitely one that I've ridden a couple of wins on now in Kickagoal Kenny – I think he's going to really improve coming into the carnival, he's had a really nice spell,” Swaffer said.

“The Rowes have had a couple of new ones, there's one that I've ridden in Machine Head, I think he's going to be coming into the carnival, he’s really lovely.

“They've got a few new ones coming up that I believe will be very competitive.”

Swaffer last rode in the Cairns Cup in 2021, finishing well back in the field on veteran galloper Salesman.

Now retired, the gelding has found a post-racing home with the jockey at her property in Gordonvale.

Having her former Cairns Cup mount in her care has reignited the desire for Swaffer to get back to the top level and chase victory at Cannon Park on the feature race days.

“I think if you won the Cairns Cup, you would just be on the high of all highs and I think it would definitely be a real career milestone,” Swaffer said.

“I've been in the Cairns Cup and the Amateur Cup and the features and it's really special to be able to be in those, being a local as well.

“You do find approaching the carnival, the crowds do really start to maximise, and you start seeing more people on the sidelines and it’s great to see.”

The local hoops will have plenty of tough competition with 18-time Group 1-winning jockey William ‘The Wizard’ Pike in the saddle for the Cairns Newmarket Ladies Day (Friday, August 28), and Cairns Cup Day the following day.

Additionally, a total $1 million in bonus payments will headline this year’s Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.

The new Great Northern Crowns bonus initiative will see $500,000 awarded to any horse that can secure all four major Cups races, while a further $500,000 will also be on offer if any horse can take out all four of the carnival’s feature sprints.

A bonus of $250,000 will be awarded to any horse that can secure three out of the four staying or sprint races.

Racing Queensland’s Executive GM of Racing David Brick said the bonuses on offer were set to attract quality fields throughout the carnival.

“At this stage, the connections are keeping their horses close to the chest, but we're sure with these bonuses on offer, they'll start coming out in their numbers,” Brick said.

“I know there's several leading stables in North Queensland that are looking to target horses for it, and I'm sure some of the leading stables in South East Queensland will also look at these options, particularly post Queensland Racing Carnival.

“This year, we’re basically looking at a fortnight between each of the key features to give those horses a chance, to aim at those key races, and hopefully a shot at the bonuses.

“It provides an opportunity for each of the towns then to have that focus on them for that fortnight leading up to and for the race series as well.

“We are really looking forward to two months of power in CQ and NQ…it’s a great opportunity for our participants and for the local towns to see some big crowds on course for those races.”

Great Northern representative Scott Riordan said it was a thrill to partner with Racing Queensland, and Central and North Queensland race clubs, for the Great Northern Crowns Bonus.

“Great Northern's had a long lasting legacy in North Queensland, and the brand itself was actually born and bred here in in Far North Queensland,” Riordan said.

“We find it's going to bring a lot of people to the event, which in turn is going to drive more visitation to Far North Queensland and these regional areas who have probably had it tough over the last few years in particular.

“For us, it's a way that we can help support our communities and regional areas.”

Click here for more information on the 2026 Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.