With a Group 1 prize at stake, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable has again called on James Mcdonald to ride I Am Me in the Manikato Stakes.
I Am Me will be having her first start at Moonee Valley on Saturday when she lines up against six opponents in the Group 1 sprint.
The five-year-old has raced on 16 occasions for Maher and Eustace, racing in Melbourne only four times, twice at Flemington down the straight, being successful once, then earlier this year when midfield in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Sandown, after landing an early career win at Ballarat.
I Am Me’s other seven wins have all been clockwise, one at Group 3 level and one at Group 2 level, but in a bid to try and secure a Group 1 win, Maher said Saturday’s Manikato Stakes was the logical race.
Victory in the Group 2 Missile Stakes at Rosehill kick-started I Am Me’s latest campaign while the mare collected her biggest payday when taking out the Group 3 Sydney Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on October 14, pocketing more than $1.15 million for connections.
Maher said he convinced McDonald to ride I Am Me that day with the mare overcoming a wide draw.
“The money on offer in Sydney is very attractive,” Maher said.
“We were tinkering with the idea of whether she would get a start in The Everest or not and I convinced James that she was the horse to ride in the Sydney Stakes.
“He said when he got off, ‘oh thanks for that’.
“She hasn’t won a Group 1 yet and it is the logical race for her.”
I Am Me has again drawn a sticky gate, barrier six in the seven-horse field on Saturday as I Am Me bids to stop the winning run of Imperatriz who is going for four straight at Moonee Valley.
“You would think she won’t as Imperatriz keeps breaking records, but she is a tough horse, in form and I think she’s better than she was last preparation,” Maher said.
“I probably would have preferred to draw a little bit softer, but JMac will sort that out.”
