Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Classy five-year-old Swingband is firmly on target for a tilt at the rich Nullarbor slot race on April 25 after scoring an effortless victory in the $25,000 SEFS, You Name It, We Fund It Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Swingband, who impressed with his fast-finishing third behind Catch A Wave and Minstrel in the $1.2 million Nullarbor last April, was making his fourth appearance after a spell when he was the $1.04 favourite from the No. 4 barrier.
Kyle Symington sent him to the front after 400m and the WA-bred Alta Christiano gelding was never out of second gear as he sauntered around and won by four lengths from $13 chance Goodfellaz, who battled on gamely after racing in the breeze.
The final three 400m sections were covered in 28.7sec., 27.9sec. and 28sec. and the winner rated 1.54.8 over the 2130m to improve his record to 37 starts for 14 wins, ten placings and $409,434 in prizemoney.
“It was good that he was able to have an easy kill,” said trainer Ryan Bell. “He will have one or two more starts and then go out and have a month off before getting ready for the Nullarbor, followed by the Fremantle Cup.”
Swingband was having his first start for four weeks, with Symington saying: “He won easily with the plugs in.”
Bell reported that Swingband had made a good recovery from a painful leg injury he sustained when he struck himself during the WA Pacing Cup on November 8. “After a week of icing the damaged leg and walking him he was as good as gold,” said Bell.