After racing through his classes with eight wins from his first 10 starts, Fell Swoop naturally found it tougher when taking on the silk department, but when he lined up in Saturday's Listed Razor Sharp Handicap at Randwick, it had been 958 days since his previous win in the Group II Victory Stakes at Doomben in April 2016.
Ridden by Hugh Bowman for trainer Matthew Dale the seven-year-old son of Not A Single Doubt led all the way to defeat the favourite Cradle Mountain (West Quest) by two lengths with Firsthand (Star Witness) a long head back in third. (photo Steve Hart)
With his fourth stakes win and Group 1 placings in the Oakleigh Plate, Manikato Stakes, Darley Classic and TJ Smith Stakes, Fell Swoop advances his record to 10 wins, 4 seconds and 3 thirds from 31 starts for earnings of $1,900,170.
"This horse has been the best horse I've ever had and he's been a long time between drinks," Dale told AAP.
"He's had a lot of little issues without anything being major but he just hasn't been right.
"But I said to the crew that this preparation he is right. I was rapt with his run first-up. I thought he should have won."
''I said to Hughie (Bowman) not to hand up the lead, to just free-flow and he rode him perfectly.
"He allowed him to get there easily early and after five weeks off and missing some work he was still strong at the line.
A half-brother to the 9-time winner Flight Command (General Nediym), Fell Swoop was purchased out of the Dartbrook Downs Thoroughbreds draft by his trainer for $45,000 at the 2013 Inglis Classic Yearling sale.
He is the best of five winners out of the winning Fasliyev mare Touched In Flight a daughter of the Group II AJC Silver Shadow Stakes winner Crimson Flight (Akaaber).
Willow Park will offer a full-brother to Fell Swoop at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Touched In Flight foaled another colt by Not A Single Doubt on October 8.
