Swettenham link to Takeover Target

Takeover Target’s fairy tale rise from the scrapheap to stardom with former taxi-driver Joe Janiak was given widespread coverage when he was put down on Saturday.

The champion sprinter couldn’t be saved after injuring a leg at his retirement home in Coff’s Harbour. “It’s very sad – I don’t think there will be a story like him again,” Janiak said. “He didn’t just give me joy, he was loved by a lot of people.”

Takeover Target launched an unforgettable international career from NSW but he was actually conceived in Victoria.

His story began in 1998 when Shady Stream (Archregent) was mated with Celtic Swing (GB) who was covering a second southern book at Collingrove Stud in Nagambie.

Collingrove was owned by the Sangster and Hayes families prior to Adam Sangster buying and rebranding the property Swettenham Stud in 2005.

Celtic Swing (pictured) was undefeated as a two-year-old in 1994 and capped off a remarkable season with a 12-length romp in the G1 Racing Post Trophy. He returned at three to be beaten a head by Pennekamp in the English 2000 Guineas but rebounded a month later to defeat Poliogote in the French Derby.

A Mr Prospector line stallion, Celtic Swing sired 85 winners at a 73% strike-rate from three seasons in Victoria before returning to stand full-time at the Irish National Stud. His European leader was Six Perfections who captured the G1 Jacques le Marois and G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita in 2003.

Celtic Swing was transferred to Italy in 2009 and died the following year, aged 18, at Allevamento di Besnate in Varese.