Sydney stayer Ironstein could be back to defend last year’s Caloundra Cup win after surviving a protest to claim the Group Three Tattersall’s Cup at Eagle Farm.
But trainer Gerald Ryan won’t be in any rush to make a decision about next Saturday’s 2400-metre feature and will wait and see how the five-year-old recovers from his narrow Tattersall’s Cup victory.
Ironstein held on to beat the fast-finishing Shuffle The Cash by a half-head in Saturday’s 2200-metre feature but had to survive a protest from Luke Nolen on the runner-up.
Nolen alleged Ironstein shifted out and took Shuffle The Cash’s running down the straight but stewards dismissed the objection.
Ryan’s travelling foreman Brad Banfield said a decision on whether Ironstein backs up in the Caloundra Cup would be “up to the boss”.
“He showed a lot of tenacity to fight back and win and it was only his second win since last year’s Caloundra Cup,” he said.
Advertising guru John Singleton bred Ironstein and races the stayer in partnership with several close friends who were once associated with him in the Bluetongue brewery.
“There’s a Group of us who were involved with Bluetongue that race him and a few others who have pubs around Newcastle,” Singleton said.
“This horse seems to race every week and keeps getting prizemoney.
“I guess Gerald will run him in the Caloundra Cup and then the Grafton Cup on the way home.”
Trainer Bryan Guy will also study the weights for next month’s Listed Grafton Cup before deciding if Shuffle The Cash starts in the NSW northern rivers feature.
Earlier, promising mare Irish Dream may have deferred retirement to the breeding barn with a half-length win over Lifebuoy in the Carlton Mid Handicap (1200m).
Trainer Peter Moody, who saddled up the four-year-old for only the third time, said Irish Dream had done enough to warrant a campaign in Melbourne this spring.
“Segenhoe Stud bought her off Gillian Heinrich and I’ve seen enough of her to give her a go in the spring or alternatively she might be covered and have one or two starts in Melbourne,” he said.
“She’s already stakes-placed but if she can add some more black type it will only add to her career as a broodmare.”
Moody said Luke Nolen gave Irish dream a “gun run” but she was purely a sit-and-sprint mare.
“That was her third run in 20 days so it was a top effort,” he said.
AAP TURF
