Schweida ready for another Sydney test

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Kelly Schweida has stable star Grafterburners primed for another showdown against Sydney’s best sprinters in the $1 million Group 2 Premiere Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Schweida was over the moon with Grafterburners’ return to racing when a close-up eighth in the Group 2 The Shorts over 1100 metres at Randwick on September 19.

It was Grafterburners’ first start since the winter carnival in Brisbane where he had two appearances, which included the Group 3 Fred Best at Eagle Farm and Group 1 Doomben 10,000 in May.

He led and faded to finish 11th to Regal Award in the Fred Best after beating only two runners home behind the Robert Heathcote-trained Rothfire in the Doomben 10,000.

Schweida believed Grafterburners was a tired horse after his winter campaign, as he returned home following his third placing in the Group 2 Arrowfield at Randwick in April.

“I thought his run in The Shorts was super and he was beaten less than two lengths,” Schweida said.

“The stewards said he got a bit of a trim up at the 600 metres and his rider (Jason Collett) had to sit up on him in the last 100 metres.

“He’s that type of horse that keeps building and building in his races, so it was a great run.”

Schweida has been forced into a jockey change with Sydney hoop Adam Hyeronimus taking over from Jason Collett.

“Jason is required for another runner which he hopes to ride in The Everest, so I couldn’t stand in the way of that,” Schweida said.

“Adam has ridden him twice before, so he knows the horse well enough.”

Hyeronimus partnered Grafterburners for the first time when the gelding finished a close fourth to Rivellino in the $2 million Millennium at Randwick in February of last year.

He was also aboard when the pair finished 11th in the Fred Best.

Schweida is pressing ahead to tackle the $2 million Group 2 Sydney Stakes at Randwick on Everest day on October 17.

However, he’s undecided if the four-year-old will be part of the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival.

“I’m not sure what to do after the Sydney Stakes,” Schweida said.

“There’s a lot of suitable races around for him that are coming up, so I’ll just wait and bide my time until after he runs on Saturday.

“It’s another horrendous field he’s facing in the Premiere Stakes and it looks nasty.

“But, he’s pulled up well after The Shorts and he’s larger than life.”