3 minute read
It’d be easy for trainer Brad Widdup to look back on the year since Icebath’s last win, at Saturday’s corresponding Randwick meeting, and wonder what might have been.
But the over $2 million in prizemoney she's earned in that 12 months means he can be nothing other than proud that a mare who started that spring rated 72 is now considered a genuine Group 1 performer.
After the closest of seconds in the $7.5m Golden Eagle and $3m Doncaster Mile last season the five-year-old has another shot at a big prizemoney cheque in the $2m The Invitation (1400m) and Widdup is pleased she's one of the select 12.
Especially when he considers the level he might have been confident racing her at had she not won that race last year and gone so close in the Golden Eagle.
"Nothing gets handed to you. We're lucky to have a horse in the race so we have to enjoy it,'' he said.
"The plan was always to get her to this level but when you're saying second in a Doncaster and things like that you can only hope for it.
"If the Four Pillars was around last year she might have been going for that instead of the Golden Eagle. She probably would have had a slot and we'd be none the wiser."
Icebath's four length romp in a Benchmark 78 race a year ago earned her that spot in the Golden Eagle and since then she hasn't raced out of Group company.
Widdup is keen to chalk up that valuable stakes win but she does have that Group 1 second to her name and he's convinced the Golden Eagle is of that standard too.
"This mare is tough and hopefully I've got her for another 12 months. I've got to be able to place her somewhere to win one,'' he said.
"They're talking about how the Everest should be a Group 1 but you go through the Golden Eagle and the form out of the couple of runnings of it is outstanding."
While Icebath's reputation says she's a better wet tracker than most, this spring has proven she's more than capable on dry ground and on that form was $7.50 second favourite with TAB on Thursday.
Widdup said her effort when ninth in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m), beaten three lengths by Private Eye, was even better than it looks if you first go back and watch the stewards vision of the gates opening.
She was bustling for room in the home straight and was still finding the line at the finish.
"She stumbled at the start and it was probably all over there,'' he said.
"She got further back than we wanted her to. I could see what Robbie (Dolan) was trying to do, he tried to get on the back of Mo'unga and Hungry Heart and they didn't take him anywhere. If he had got to the outside, we'll never know.
"She's rock hard fit coming back from a mile to 1400m. We've got to put all our cards on the table this week and have a real go.
"Yes she's drawn bad but we're in the race. Hopefully things fall our way a bit. If things do fall her way we could see a very good performance."
The Hawkesbury trainer is represented in the $1m Bondi Stakes (1600m) by Queensland three-year-old Keefy making his debut for the stable.
The gelding has won two from seven and was transferred to Widdup by David Vandyke, it's unclear how long that will be in effect but his performance in the Bondi probably dictates that.
Keefy was placed behind Startantes in August and was narrowly beaten over 1800m at the Sunshine Coast two weeks ago.
"He's hard fit, they told me he's been leading up there by default,'' Widdup said.
"He begins well and nothing really took him on. It'd be nice if we cold pop in behind one and not have to lead. You'd like to think he'd be competitive."
