Swain reflects on three Southern Supremacy wins

Bruce Stewart Journalist

This Sunday the forty third Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes will be run at Ascot Park as part of Diamonds Day.

Gore horseman Robin Swain has driven three winners in the three year old feature including Sapper (Sapling) in 1986.

Trained and driven by Robin, the three year old gelding won by one and a quarter lengths from Stingray with Hit The Tape half a neck back in third. The winning time for the 2200 metre mobile was 2-49.2.

“He’d won four races before the final. He was a staying type of horse and he had a bit of bottom to him,” Robin said.

His second winner came in 1995 with The Orator, (Talk About Class) trained by his sister Denice.

The gelding’s winning margin was six and a half lengths from Decision Time and his winning time was 3-23.7 for the 2700 metre mobile.

“He was a pretty speedy horse. Denice told me to save him up for one run.”

His third win was achieved in 2004 at Winton with Roman Gladiator (Christian Cullen) whom he trained and drove.

The gelding was a $1.90 favourite and drew the inside of the second row. He was second last early, before he improved to sit parked with a lap to run. He ran down the leader Onedin Legacy with Sir Lance coming from the back to finish second.

The winning time was 2-56.8 for the 2400 metre mobile.

“He came back from the Derby where he was favourite. He got crook up there with a cold. We treated him but we weren’t sure how he would go. He hoppled up good a couple of days before the race and it felt to me that he was back to his best again. After the race they (connections of Sir Lance) put a protest in because they thought I’d come off the second line before the start (laughter). But the stipes threw it out.”