Sweeneys’ small stable making big strides

By Jordan Gerrans

The training team of Alyssa and Troy Sweeney has started the 2026-27 season in white-hot form and they have several runners engaged over the coming days to keep the positive results flowing.

The husband-and-wife partnership is on track to record a career-best season in the training ranks on the back of a flurry of winners.

From just 27 runners so far this season, they have registered eight winners, while striking at 29 per cent.

The Toowoomba barn prepared a career-high 14 winners last campaign, which they are on track to surpass in the 2026-27 season if the winners keep flowing.

They have enjoyed a particularly prolific September, headlined by a Warwick double, before more winners at Dalby and the Gold Coast, with another victory at Warwick’s Allman Park sandwiched in between.

The family-run stable is naturally ecstatic to see their hard work behind the scenes turn into success on the track.

“It's great, actually, it's good to have a few, string a few together,” Alyssa said.

“So, all of that in a few weeks is always good, because we only have the smallish team and it's good to get the results for the owners we have here at the stable too.

“It's very positive because there is a lot of work that goes into it and a lot of hours.

“We put 150 per cent into every horse. So, when they get the result, it's very good.”

In September alone, Zavega won twice, as did Artie Vainqueur, while So You Can Torque was also a Warwick winner.

“They've been going good,” Troy said.

“They've been racing well before the last couple of weeks, but just without winning, so it is good to get them over the line.

“It is rewarding. Early mornings and then long days spent shoeing. It is rewarding. You know you're doing the right thing.

“Artie Vainqueur, she's a pretty smart mare. We are just learning how we need to ride her and she could step into town.

“Prucia, she's raced well in town. And, Zavega, she'll be competitive in any race in there, as well.”

As the Sweeneys aim to build on their nice run of form, Scartoon heads to Gatton on Thursday, while the stable has runners nominated for Toowoomba and Tara on Saturday, with Zavega heading to the city on Monday.

The stable has in recent times had an injection of promising horses that are raced by prominent Charters Towers owner Sue Hammer.

Hammer has predominantly raced her gallopers with Ben Williams as well as Graham and Belynda Kliese in the north over the years with great success.

But, through a connection at Oaklands Stud, the 34-year-old Troy says the backing of Hammer has changed the outlook for their stable.

“Mrs Hammer, she's a big supporter of ours with multiple horses in the stable now,” he said.

“It is wonderful. We were hovering around eight to 10 horses for a fair while and getting results.

“We had Ostermeier and a couple of other horses winning in Brisbane, they're always competitive down there.

“But, to have an owner like Sue and everyone at Oaklands, it's really boosted our numbers with better quality horses in the stable.

“To have Sue and Oaklands involved in the stable, it brings a better-quality horse and we'll be able to race a bit more down there in town.

“I shoe for Oaklands and they sent us a few pre-trainers and they left here pretty well.

“We started one at Tara last year and Accept Power happened to win as the first runner for Sue and Oaklands.

“So, we started off strong and kept going. It's been good.”

Troy is hopeful the Hammer-owned Power Witness, an unraced two-year-old, will be an early runner in the city in the coming months.

“He's ready to go,” he said.

Troy notes his shoeing work helped deliver the connection with prominent owner Hammer and he also believes it helps him as a trainer, as well.

The former jockey has shifted focus in the industry after finishing up riding in 2014.

“It's helped significantly in training,” he said.

“Learning about conformation and being able to ride work myself, as well. Alyssa has an eye for legs and anything that goes wrong with a horse.

“So, she can spot that, whereas I can ride them and feel it, then be able to shoe them, it's pretty handy.”

The Sweeneys work their team of horses out of the Bahram training and spelling centre at Toowoomba, while also juggling daughter Zahlia and her younger brother Vance.

It is a big family affair on the Darling Downs.

“Well, I think we're lucky in the fact that we have my Mum and Dad live across the road from us,” Alyssa said.

“So, with the children, if we have to be with the horses, obviously they can be with their grandparents, which is good.

“The kids are obviously the priority for me and Troy does the majority of the early mornings. I'm here three or four mornings a week, but he does the majority of that.

“I think we work in well together, I do a lot of the office work, the books, the owner communication and stuff, which allows me to still be with the kids, as well.

“So, I think we just work well as a team, it's good.”