On Saturday Gerald Ryan’s classy Zabeel gelding Ironstein secured another strong victory, this time in the $200,000 Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m).
The improving four-year-old went out as the $5 second elect and managed to hold on and beat the favourite Tinseltown ($4.40) by a neck, while Teary Eyed ($6) finished off the trifecta.
Ironstein has now won five and placed in another three of his 14 career starts for $254,450 in prizemoney. Saturday was the gelding’s first start stepping up to 2400m and he handled the distance with ease, proving he may just have what it takes for a campaign in the richer staying races in the future.
It has been an impressive improvement since Ironstein began racing, when he lost his first four starts in succession.
Other black-type features held at the Sunshine Coast meeting on Saturday included the $175,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) where equal favourite Woorim claimed victory, and the $100,000 Listed Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) won by the classy Fifteen Carat.
Both Woorim and Fifteen Carat were ridden by champion jockey Stathi Katsidis, who has been booked to mount John Wallace’s impressive stayer Shoot Out during his spring campaign that will include a berth in the 150th Melbourne Cup.
Also held on Saturday was the Listed Civic Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill, where five-year-old mare Illuminates claimed victory. It was a disappointing result for the John O’Shea-trained Informality who didn’t enjoy the slow track, finishing a well-beaten sixth. Despite the result, Informality is still in preparation for this year’s $6 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 2 during the coveted Cup Carnival.
There is plenty of great racing action happening at racecourses across the country in the lead-up to the coveted Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, and IASbet has all the best horse racing odds if you fancy a punt!
