Strapping More Than Ready (USA) colt Prized Icon has fighting qualities to match his Hollywood-handsome physique and he needed to call on all those qualities in Saturday's $500,000 Group 1 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
Ridden by Glyn Schofield, Prized Icon needed to do the bullocking work to take the field up to the fleet-footed kiwi El Sicario.
Put to an all-out drive 300 metres out Prized Icon found another gear when he looked vulnerable and came clear in the closing stages to defeat Chimboraa (Congrats) by a length with divine Prophet (Choisir) a short-head back in third.(photos Lisa Grimm)
"He was dominant. He was
"He was in front a long way from home, wandering left and right, he was basically waiting for something to join him and when it did he raced
"Who knows how much he had left but I'm pretty sure he had something more to offer."
The win was the first at the highest level for Cummings in his own right first in his own right since taking sole command of the stable following the death of his grandfather and former training partner Bart Cummings. He said prized icon was just about to head to the paddock after his last start
"He was just about on the float to Mudgee," Cummings said.
"I just thought about it, had a look at him and thought 'you look too well'.
"Put him on the float to the beach, he's not going on the Bells Line of Road, he's going to Botany."
"He's a tough horse this horse, he's loved his training all the way through.
"The stable can really train a two-year-old if given the chance.
"To keep this horse up for six runs, for so long, he ran so well in the Breeders Plate.
"I thought that day, Breeders Plate stakes placegetters have such a great record of winning at Group 1 level and he has come out and done it.
"Another group one winner for More Than Ready (USA), what a stallion!
"I think any stallion manager that can see a horse like him would be mad not to chase him up
"It's just great to get a two-year-old Group I win for Gooree. They've been a great supporter of the stable.
Third on debut back in the spring to eventual Golden Slipper winner Capitalist in the Listed ATC Breeders Plate, Prized Icon placed in the Listed Lonhro Plate, Group III Black Opal Stakes and Listed Baillieu Stakes before breaking through in the Listed Fernhill Stakes.
His overall record stands at 2 wins, 2 seconds and 2 thirds from 7 starts for earnings of $500,850.
Passed in short of his $300,000 reserve at the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling sale, the Gooree homebred is a brother to Group III winners Matras and Perfect Moon out of the from stakes-winning Danehill (USA) mare Tropical Affair.
Prized Icon's lightly raced half-sister Tarlaquena (Don Eduardo), is the dam of the talented Kabayan (Haradasun) a Group II winner and Group 1 placed.
Tarlaquena has been catalogued for the upcoming Inglis Australia Broodmare sale.
Tropical Affair has a yearling colt by Lonhro. She missed to Sebring in 2014 and to I Am Invincible last year.
Prized Icon becomes the 18th Group 1 winner for Vinery Stud's flagship stallion More Than Ready (USA).
