3 minute read
South Australian raider on song ahead of Sydney assignment.
Dual-license holder Shayne Cahill is testing new waters with seven-year-old mare Icecrusher as she lines up in The Agency Real Estate Handicap (1800m) on Wednesday.
It'll be the daughter of Frost Giant's second start in Sydney, calling Brad Widdup's Hawkesbury base home whilst in New South Wales.
She wasn't disgraced in her first start in Sydney, running home well to finish in fifth position on the Kensington track.
Cahill is confident his mare can go close to winning with champion jockey Hugh Bowman staying aboard.
"She's drawn down on the inside and if he (Hugh) can get on the back of something that can take him into the race or get to the outside and start winding her up a bit earlier, it would be more ideal for her," he said.
"She doesn't have a real good turn of foot, but she'll go through her gears and keep winding up.
"She's a pretty gallant little mare that doesn't stop trying.
"I think the extra trip too could be a plus for her up there.
"If she has a trouble-free run and doesn't get held up, she should run well."
Quite often we see horses in South Australia cross the border for midweek racing, but usually they head to Melbourne.
With Icecrusher's future in mind, her owners decided to send her to Sydney for her final race starts, finishing with a date with one of the Coolmore stallions later this year.
Cahill is using this opportunity to open the doors for future endeavours to New South Wales, with Widdup informing the Strathalbyn-based horseman his mare is travelling well.
"She's come through her last run really well and she's been well in herself the last couple of days," Cahill said.
"She's one of those easy going, low maintenance horses, once she's fit you don't have to do much with her.
"She did a bit of work on Saturday morning and Brad was happy with the way she went through the line.
"Having Hugh (Bowman) back on her is a bonus, he rode her the other day and just getting to know her a bit better is probably a plus because she probably doesn't have the turn of foot he's used to.
"He'll know that he has to wind her up a bit earlier."
The seven-year-old has been a grand horse for Cahill, with 6 of her nine wins coming whilst racing under his guidance.
Cahill said she's a horse he'd love to have a stable full of.
"I'd like to have more of her in my stable that's for sure," he said.
"She's a low maintenance horse, good energy and she gives 100 percent every time she goes out.
"Ideally, you'd like every horse in your stable to be like her because she's so easy going."
