Brisbane trainer Kelly Schweida will link with racing super powers Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott and James McDonald on Saturday.
However, he is still the laconic North Queenslander when he talks about Grafterburners heading into the Magic Millions Sunlight at the Gold Coast.
The unfashionably bred colt has a motor that’s delivered a hat-trick of wins since he returned as a three-year-old and made the son of Graff the pick for the Waterhouse-Bott Slot and the $2.40 favourite for the $3 million contest.
“He has good form, but it’s hard to line up with the others,” Schweida starts.
“He is a smart little horse, but he will have to be to win on Saturday.”
Schweida knows when he has a good one and is still the horseman who made his way from Townsville and wants to use his advantages.
Although Cejay Graham was in the saddle for the past two wins in the Winning Rupert Stakes and Gold Edition Stakes, it’s too good an opportunity to use McDonald in the Sunlight.
“Don’t think he’s ridden for me before [he hasn’t]. He’s the best in the world, I suppose he knows what he is doing,” Schweida said.
“Few of [the managers] were sending messages after the last win saying their jockeys would be up here this week.”
“It must mean we’re a good chance.”
“Cejay did a good job, but you don’t get the best too often.”
Schweida has been happy with Grafterburners’ work since his last win a couple of weeks ago, and with Bott spending time at Eagle Farm in the mornings this week, they have chatted.
“It is different to be running in their slot,” he said. “I saw Adrian, and he asked how he was going. That’s a little different.”
“He has definitely come on and is better, and you’re seeing that on the track.”
“He has the benefit of those runs to have him at his peak, while a lot of the others are first-up in the race.”
Grafterburners had shown promise as a two-year-old winning QTIS Jewel at the Gold Coast and only being a few lengths away in the Brisbane Sires Produce Stakes and JJ Atkins.
However, it was the fourth behind Rivellino in the Inglis Millennium this time last year that Schweida believes was the making of him.
“I don’t take many horses away and with a bit of luck that day he could have at least run third,” Schweida said. “He has always been getting better and we are seeing the best of him now.”
