Sydney’s major juvenile races have already been run this season but the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable has unveiled another exciting prospect for the future with Ikasara making a winning debut at Rosehill.
Adam Hyeronimus was full of praise for the colt by stallion I Am Invincible and the jockey was even moved to declare Ikasara up amongst the better juveniles he has been aboard this season.
That is a fair endorsement considering Hyeronimus has ridden a host of the stable’s leading two-year-old’s at stages during this season including winning the Magic Millions Classic on Storm Boy and running second in the Group 1 Blue Diamond on subsequent Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot.
“He’s a very nice horse and he’s probably, definitely up there with the better two-year-olds I’ve ridden this season,” Hyeronimus said.
An $800,000 yearling purchase at last year’s Inglis Easter Sale, Ikasara was sent out a $5.50 betting site chance in Saturday’s ATC Bookmakers Recognition Day Handicap (1100m).
Hyeronimus was able to position Ikasara outside the leader Amelita before the colt raced to the front approaching the 250m.
Ikasara went on to score by three-quarters of a length over Althoff ($31) who closed the race off nicely while Point And Shoot ($10) was close up in third in a race dominated by debutants.
Hyeronimus believes Ikasara is still putting it all together and got a bit lost in the straight but is convinced the colt would have had enough ability to fight off any serious challengers had they emerged late in the race.
“He’s a very good horse,” Hyeronimus said.
“He’s still learning. He jumps well but he doesn’t have that impressive gate speed that our two-year-olds normally do. But I don’t see that as a bad thing because there’s still so much upside to come.
“Once I was able to end up outside the leader, I didn’t expect Rachel (King on Amelita) to be in front, I was pretty confident it was game over then.”
The $3.80 favourite Seascape raced three wide with cover but never threatened in the straight and finished eighth.
