Connections of quality mare Icebath finally got the payday they deserved when the daughter of Sacred Falls won the inaugural A$2 million The Invitation (1400m).
Icebath won at the corresponding meeting a year ago but hasn’t entered the winner’s stall since despite going close in a number of feature races.
She was most notably a narrow runner-up in the A$7.5m Golden Eagle (1500m) while also going down by the barest of margins in the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) in her final run during the autumn this year.
Even a wide draw and firmer than expected track couldn’t hold the Brad Widdup-trained mare up as she came from last under Kerrin McEvoy to sweep to victory, defeating Rocha Clock and Forbidden Love.
The Jamie Richards-trained Entriviere started $2.40 favourite, but was forced to press forward after being stuck three-wide and finished a game fourth, beaten a length and a half.
“Kerrin knew what was underneath him. Everyone was saying, dry tracks and all that. I’ve always dismissed it, it’s just getting the right run. I was pretty happy to see Entriviere go forward and do that,” Widdup said.
“It’s fantastic. It’s great for the team and she’s been great for us. This race came from nowhere, big money, and it’s fantastic. I’m over the moon for the owners and our staff. Twelve months is a long wait but I’ll take it every day of the week.”
The Hawkesbury trainer admitted he was worried he had missed his chance to cash-in with the five-year-old mare, who has a CV littered with feature placings.
“You do worry because it’s a short period with these horses and when you get a good one, you want to make the most of it. It was great.
“The whole preparation she’s been flying and I’ve been trying to keep a lid on it.”
Widdup will consider backing-up the mare in next week’s Gr.1 Empire Rose (1600m) at Flemington.
Bred by Waikato Stud, Icebath is by ill-fated sire Sacred Falls out of the Savabeel mare Fabulist, and is a full sister to rising Hong Kong star Courier Wonder, who is a Group Three winner.
Fabulist is also the dam of stakes winning galloper Nowyousee and Group Three placed Just Fabulous, both by Sacred Falls sire O’Reilly.
Icebath has been a great flagbearer for Hawkesbury-based Widdup, and advanced her career earnings to A$3,381,740, with four wins and ten placings from 25 starts.
Widdup purchased the Waikato Stud-bred filly in Australia as a yearling for $100,000 at Inglis Classic and said he has always had a lot of time for her and her sire.
“She wasn’t a big filly (as a yearling), but was very athletic and she is from a good Waikato family. I liked the stallion. I like stallions who have performed well in Australia,” Widdup said.
“I have always thought a bit of her. I even raced her in stakes grade as a two-year-old. Those fillies races are pretty strong, she ran great then but was very backward.”
There are 15 two-year-olds by the four-time Group One winner Sacred Falls set to go under the hammer at next month’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale. – NZ Racing Desk
