Harry Coffey’s back in the headlines on day three of the bet365 Swan Hill Cup Carnival with a go-to-whoa success on heavily backed Bywaters Road in the $40,000 Swan Hill Drought Breaker Plate over 1600m.
In fact he ran away with the sought-after maiden event so easily he spent half the straight looking over both shoulders wondering where the rest of the field had gone.
The win makes it four (to date) for the carnival – a double yesterday, including the Quambatook Cup – and one to open the weekend of racing on Friday.
“We didn’t have much choice (but to lead). He jumped really cleanly and rolled across, and John (trainer John Hickmott) said the horse has speed and having drawn barrier 18 don’t complicate it,” Coffey says.
“He said for me to go with him if he jumps well, otherwise he would leave it up to me, but John was spot on,” he says.
“It’s good to get a win for Johnny, he’s always thrown me a bone when he could, and I remember as a kid I absolutely slaughtered one for him in a Murray Bridge Cup so I repaid him today with the Drought Breaker,” he laughed.
The win leaves Coffey the leading rider of the weekend – and he has a booking in every race today. Today’s victory gives the South Australian trained Bywater Road one win, six seconds and a third from 17 starts.
