The filly was sent into training with Dick Hern at West Ilsley in Berkshire She was sired by Run the Gantlet, an American stallion whose biggest win came in the 1971 edition of the Washington, D.C. International Stakes.
She was a granddaughter of the British broodmare Mitrailleuse (foaled 1944) whose other descendants have included Full Dress, One in a Million, Commanche Run, Creag-An-Sgor, Milligram and One So Wonderful.
[3] On her racecourse debut, Swiftfoot started favourite against five opponents in the Rose of Lancaster Stakes (not the current race of the same name) over seven furlongs at Haydock Park in July.
On her only other race of the year she was matched against male opposition in the Sandwich Stakes over one mile at Goodwood Racecourse in September and finished fourth behind the colts Jalmood, Vin St Benet and Padalco.
Swiftfoot repelled a challenge from Tants, went clear of her opponents in the last furlong and on by one and a half lengths from Sa-Vegas despite being eased down in the final strides.
Racing on soft ground she failed to reproduce her best form and finished third behind Touching Wood and Father Rooney, beaten ten lengths by the winner.
In 1981 the independent Timeform organisation gave Swiftfoot a rating of 92, making her 30 pounds inferior to their best two-year-old filly Circus Ring.