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A highly-promising imported sprinter I Am Superman opened up his Australian winning account with a stylish victory at Caulfield.
Irish based racehorse owners John Fleming and Michael O'Callaghan were rewarded for both their patience and unwavering belief last Saturday when the imported sprinter-miler I Am Superman opened up his Australian winning account with a stylish victory in the MRC Members' Tipstar Hcp (1400m) at Caulfield.
Perfectly placed and prepared by Peter And Paul Snowden for the entire's first-up assignment, the 5-year-old (to southern hemisphere time) went into the contest on the back of two promising barrier trial efforts in Sydney before serving notice of bigger and better things to come during the domestic spring racing period.
I Am Superman's maiden Australian success had been long awaited by his owners, Michael O'Callaghan having also been his trainer in Ireland, but confirmed that a plan they devised towards the backend of 2019 had been soundly researched and was no longer destined to prove all in vain.
A highly-promising 3-year-old at the beginning of his Classic season, I Am Superman had subsequently been targeted by the ATC's James Ross to compete in the inaugural $7.5 million Golden Eagle in which barrier 13 essentially dashed any chance of winning.
However, the three-time winner in Ireland had headed Down Under on a one-way ticket with a potential stud career to further develop, and virtually entered the hugely successful Randwick training establishment of the Snowdens within days of his Rosehill disappointment - albeit still relatively 'jet-lagged' and yet to fully acclimatise to his new surroundings.
Three below par performances - in the Liverpool City Cup (G3), Ajax Stakes (G2) and Doncaster Prelude (G3) - at the beginning of the year saw I Am Superman then ushered off to the spelling paddock for some well deserved R & R, the benefit of which was for all to see in his rejuvenated performance at 'The Heath' last weekend.
Fleming confirmed overnight that the Snowdens were delighted with the way I Am Superman had come out of Saturday's race, stating that the son of Footstepsinthesand had been perfect since arriving in Victoria and was as "Happy as Larry".
Ridden to victory by Mark Zahra, the inform hoop had also reported that the entire had felt terrific considering it was his first visit to the tricky Caulfield circuit, probably proving beyond any reasonable doubt that left-handed is his preferred way of racing - a conclusion both Fleming and O'Callaghan had arrived at during his initial time competing in Ireland.
After enduring the best part of 10 months before their longer-term plan took its first tangible step towards coming to fruition, the team now has a three-week wait before I Am Superman gets an opportunity to deliver in full on his Antipodean mission.
I Am Superman next lines-up in the $500,000, Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) on September 25 back at Caulfield and is now back charting a course his owners never lost sight of.
