Bill West
Long-time Kyneton-based trainer Neil Dyer is already thinking seriously about an expedition north for the 2023 Darwin Cup and associated races.
On Saturday, Dyer won the last event at Kyneton with six-year-old mare Svaneke, which he also part-owns.
Svaneke was the only locally trained winner on the seven-event program conducted by Kyneton and Hanging Rock Racing Club.
Ridden by up-and-coming apprentice Tom Prebble, Svaneke came from well back in the field to beat $101 chance Unconquered.
Svaneke started at $11 and notched up her fourth wins from 26 starts.
In the first three races, local gallopers filled second place on each occasion as they tried to break their maiden status.
The first two, Love Nest and Gunnafly, are trained by Liam Howley who has just relocated to Macedon Lodge.
Then second favourite Brooklyn Baby, from the Mick Sell Kyneton stable, ran second behind the favourite in the third maiden on the program.
Chances of a locally trained winner did not look good unless punters waited until the “lucky last”, a 0-58 Handicap over 1850m.
Svanake’s last win was back in October 2022 over 2082m at Moe, with apprentice Celine Gaudray on board.
That success at Moe was Dyer’s first since returning from his annual trip to Alice Springs and Darwin.
It’s an annual pilgrimage for Dyer that dates back to 2008, and he is something of a folklore figure in Darwin with three Darwin Cups to his credit.
Hawks Bay really put Dyer on the map “up north” when he won successive Darwin Cups in 2011 and 2012. He went on to win 14 races from 61 starts and chalk up $861,130 in prize money.
Then is was on to 2017, when Royal Request gave the Kyneton trainer his third winner in the Cup.
Last year, 40-1 outsider Kaonic, ridden by John Keating, almost caused a boil over for Dyer by finishing a close second in the $200,000 feature race.
VERY ENTHUSIASTIC
What has made Dyer even more enthusiastic about the Darwin Cup this year is his acquisition of a six-year-old from Chris Waller’s stables.
Dyer feels Mohican Heights is the ideal type of galloper for the Darwin Cup, and he could also be handy in Country Cups and Saturday races as well.
At one stage Mohican Heights ran in the prestigious Epsom Derby, and he has stake earnings of almost $400,000 to his credit.
The gelding’s last win was at Eagle Farm (Queensland) on February 4, and he has since had runs at Rosehill Gardens, Eagle Farm and Doomben.
Dyer says shares are limited, and will be selling fast. Contact the trainer if you are interested.
