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By Ray Hickson

If there’s a secret to why eight-year-old gelding Swift Charm’s form has exploded this preparation trainer Brett Dodson says it’s probably due to a knee operation he knew would one day be needed.

Trainer Brett Dodson (Pic: Bradley Photos).

It’s just over three years since Swift Charm made his debut as a five-year-old and he’s built a handy record in his 28 starts but it’s been enhanced by a hat-trick since returning from the operation that he’ll look to extend in Thursday’s Tatts Hotel Great Northern Inverell Cup (1400m).

Dodson said Swift Charm has been patiently handled throughout his career, even before he was purchased from across the Tasman, and it’s showing.

“He’s going sensational, he’s had a really good prep and let’s hope it keeps going,’’ Dodson said.

“He had a knee issue, he had an operation and has come back this time even better. That’s definitely helped him.

“We bought him from New Zealand and they said to keep an eye on the knee when we got him.

“A chip broke off so we had to have that removed and take a fair bit of cartilage with it, we’ve looked after him and it’s all paying off.”

Swift Charm was a TAB Highway winner back in January and he had seven months off the scene when the knee issue needed to be dealt with.

He put the writing on the wall with a second-up placing and followed that with a Kempsey Cup win, a Newcastle win and his last start success in the Xmas Cup at Lismore.

Kody Nestor will take the ride in the Inverell Cup, Dodson would normally have used apprentice Grady Spokes to take 3kg off his 62.5kg but he said he’s more than happy to have the senior rider on board after Spokes had a prior commitment in the race.

“The Inverell Cup was a bit of an afterthought,’’ he said.

“Kody is going out there and he won’t be carrying a lot of dead weight, he carried 61kg last start so let’s hope he can carry it against that class of horse.

“It should be a nice track for him and he’ll get every chance from the gate.”

The Coffs Harbour trainer said he’d like to focus on his home track carnival and the popular Grafton carnival with Swift Charm so he’ll likely head for a break after Inverell.

Stablemate Cool Fizz has her own winning run to uphold when she heads to the Phillip Hughes Memorial (1000m) at Bowraville on Saturday eyeing a hat-trick.

She’s also had 28 starts and prior to her wins at Tuncurry and Taree in December her record was highlighted more by her 11 second placings but looks a lot better now with five wins.

It’s been a couple of years since the mare has raced at Bowraville, she ran second in her only start there, and Dodson said with likely 54.5kg on her back after a claim she’ll have her chance again.

“She’s racing really well, she’s a little trier. She doesn’t know how to run a bad race,’’ he said.

Swift Charm wins at Lismore on December 19

“A few things have fallen into place, we’ve found the right races for her.

“I think she will get in quite well and it looks a perfect race for her. She’s got good speed and Grady Spokes will take a claim off her.”

All the fields, form and replays for Thursday's Inverell Cup meeting