Cup-winning hoop set to ride Swats That

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Jye McNeil will ride Swats That for the first time at Flemington on Friday in a course-proper trial that will throw plenty of light upon Saturday week’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning at the same venue.

The Coolmore Stud Stakes runner-up will run into her conqueror that day, September Run, as well as entrenched star Nature Strip in a mouth-watering three-horse 800-metre jumpout.

McNeil has been booked to ride Swats That in Saturday week’s 1000-metre test following the careless riding suspension incurred by John Allen at Donald on Monday.

Swats That’s co-trainer Troy Corstens said on Wednesday that the three-horse make-up of the trial is not ideal but that he is confident his filly will be able to get what she needs from it just eight days from the Lightning.

“You would have preferred six or eight but there’s not much you can do about it and we’ll just concentrate and control what we can do,” Corstens said.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a massive field in the Lightning, but it’ll be a bloody good one.”

Corstens said he felt for Allen, who partnered the filly to wins in the G3 Champagne Stakes at The Valley and G3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes at Caulfield before she beat all but September Run home in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

“It’s a bit of a spanner in the works with John Allen getting suspended but we’ve got Jye McNeil to have a feel of her on Friday morning and he rides her in the Lightning,” he said.

“That’s going to be interesting to see how he gets on with her but he’s a fantastic rider and she’s a pretty easy horse to get along with.”