A sprinter with family ties to champion Black Caviar has claimed a stakes win of his own at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
The Tony McEvoy-trained Iconic returned with a win in the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m), defeating the Peter Moody-trained Angels Beach by the barest of margins with comeback mare Angelic Light doing her best work late along the rail to finish a length away third.
Four-year-old gelding Iconic ($10) had been Group placed behind star sprinter Lankan Rupee in the autumn but his win in the Carlyon was his first at stakes level.
And McEvoy believes it will not be his last.
“If you look at his legs you would walk past him. He’s got very bent legs but hasn’t had a day’s unsoundness,” McEvoy said.
“He’s got more of these nice races in him.”
Iconic is by Black Caviar’s sire Bel Esprit out of the mare Davavia who is a half-sister to Black Caviar’s mother Helsinge.
McEvoy was concerned Iconic was going into the race off one trial, but the sprinter’s jockey Nick Hall was confident and was proven right.
Iconic came from midfield and just held off Angels Beach on his inside with Angelic Light turning in a pleasing first-up run having not raced since May last year.
Favourite Shamal Wind ($4), previously unbeaten first-up, was closing late for fourth.
McEvoy plans to bring Iconic back to Moonee Valley in a fortnight for the Group Two McEwen Stakes where he would meet Lankan Rupee.
Iconic was second to Lankan Rupee in the Rubiton Stakes in the autumn and finished well back in the star sprinter’s Oakleigh Plate a couple of weeks later.
“I hope he goes somewhere else, Lankan Rupee,” McEvoy said.
“But he (Iconic) is a good sprinter and there’s not many other places I can go with him.
“I have got options in Sydney if Lankan Rupee looked too strong.”
