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Daughter of Sacred Falls gains start following withdrawal of Gem Song while connections are hopeful of the return to winning form of Aegon and Forbidden Love

The Brad Widdup-trained Icebath (Sacred Falls) will line up in Saturday’s Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) following the withdrawal of Gem Song (Your Song) due to soreness. 

The four-year-old mare comes into Saturday’s Group 1 having finished fifth in the Coolmore Classic (Gr 1, 1500m) and fourth in the Emancipation Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) at her last two starts. 

"Icebath keeps getting better as she gets into a campaign," Widdup said.

"She won easily over the 'mile' at Randwick on heavy ground last October at her fifth start that preparation, and then was narrowly beaten in the $7.5m Golden Eagle at Rosehill a week later, again on a heavy track.

"The Doncaster will be Icebath's fifth start this time in work, and she is in terrific order.

"She deserves her place in the Doncaster line-up, and obviously her chances have been boosted by the rain at Randwick this week as she is such a good wet tracker."

Icebath's sire Sacred Falls (O’reilly) won the Doncaster Mile in 2013 and again the following year with both his victories coming on heavy tracks. Jay Ford will ride Icebath at 50.5kg, and she has drawn barrier two.

"I'm sure the draw will help her settle closer," Widdup said. "She won't be up with the leaders but should be no worse than midfield."

With Icebath gaining a Doncaster start, Widdup has indicated he is most unlikely to back her up again at Randwick on Saturday week in the Coolmore Legacy (Gr 1, 1600m) against her own sex.

"That would mean racing on three consecutive Saturdays, having come from last to finish an excellent fourth in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakesat Rosehill last Saturday," he said.

"The Group 1 Doomben Cup at weight-for-age on May 22 could be a possibility, however."

Co-trainer Andrew Forsman meanwhile is hoping that Ageon, who is also by Sacred Falls, can bounce back to form a disappointing sixth place finish in the Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) when he lines up in Saturday’s Doncaster Mile. 

Previously unbeaten in five career starts, Ageon won a Warwick Farm barrier trial on April 1 and Forsman has been in Sydney to oversee Ageon’s preparation leading into Saturday's race. 

“I didn't see him going into the Randwick Guineas so I can't really comment on how he was going into that race so that's the difficult thing,'' Forsman said.

"But everything about him reminds me of how he was going into other races before. That is positive from our point of view.

"It was a bit of a flat run from him in the Guineas, he didn't have any dash about him at all. He has raced on firm tracks at home so I'm not convinced it was anything to do with the track.

"I think at this stage of his career he's best kept a bit fresh."

Another co- trainer hoping that his Doncaster Mile runner can bounce back to winning form is Michael Freedman who will be represented in the race by Forbidden Love (All Too Hard). Winner of the Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick on February 27, the daughter of Vinery Stud’s All Too Hard (Casino Prince) was disappointing when 12th in the Coolmore Classic at her next start and will be bidding to become the first filly to win the Doncaster Mile since Sunline (Desert Sun). 

"She really didn't get any luck at any stage in the race. She met a lot of interference," Freedman said. 

"It was just a forget run. She has had a trial since then and trialled nicely and she seems to be going into Saturday's race in pretty good nick." 

Freedman also believes the filly will have no problem with the 1600 metres, the first time she has raced at that distance since she finished third in the Empire Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington last October. 

"The way she is relaxing in her races now, she is giving herself every chance to run the mile out," Freedman said. 

"Back in the spring when she ran third in the Empire Rose, she had to do a bit of work from the outside gate and she more or less led the field up and only went down by a narrow margin. 

"She is a little more versatile now than she was in the spring so from the draw (13), she should be ridden with a bit of cover and given every chance to run it out."