Lightly-tried Kiwi import Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj) took another step towards an audacious tilt at the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) when winning a 1200m handicap at Caulfield on Saturday to extend his undefeated record of three wins from three starts.
The comfortable win provided ace jockey Jamie Kah with an incredible fifth win for the day, with Ayrton now Queensland-bound for a shot at a Stradbroke berth at what would be his fifth start, but first of all he must win his way into the A$1.5 million race through the Gr.3 Fred Best Classic (1400m).
The three-year-old gelding possibly has the mantle as the most hyped horse in Australia, making a strong impression since being bought out of Cambridge trainer Lauren Brennan’s stable and sent to Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr).
“I think he’s one of the better horses I’ve had,” Price said after the soft win.
“I’m not a big spruiker – I hope I’m not anyway. I remember after the horse’s first start, a couple of Hong Kong people rang and I usually say ‘Give me a figure’ but this was a plain ‘No, not happening’.”
Ayrton can win his way into the Stradbroke on June 12 with victory in the Fred Best Classic and bookmakers have already reacted by marking the youngster a $4 favourite for the Stradbroke, despite not being qualified.
Ayrton ($1.65 fav) overwhelmed his rivals on Saturday with his finishing sprint and Price said he expected the horse could struggle over such a trip in future as he gets out in distance.
“I still say that 1200m, when you look back on his form when he gets a bit older, it will not be his best distance,” Price said
“But the race was put on nicely for him, the barrier was good and the horse was strong to the line. It looked like it was an easy sort of a win.
“He was a little bit fresh. I didn’t do anything with him on Thursday. I wanted him fresh for the 1200m. I’ve had the edge on him all week.
“He’s had two good trials. He’s a good-tempered horse. He’s got a bit to learn but I think 1400m and a mile will be good. We’ve got our little plan, which includes a trip and then that’ll be us this prep.”
Starting at $1.65, Ayrton sat back off the speed and was eased into the centre of the track by Kah before he sped clear, eventually being eased down to win by a length-and-a-quarter over the brave Curran (Night Of Thunder), with three-and-three-quarter lengths to The Big Easy (Written Tycoon) in third place.
“I wasn’t worried about bustling him into a spot today,” Kah said. “I just wanted him to relax and he did.
“He’s a more relaxed and furnished horse this time in and I just loved the way this horse still hasn’t quickened underneath me yet, he just extends.
“Once he puts it all together, he’s going to be a really exciting horse over a bit of ground.”
Bred by Greg McCarthy of Cambridge, Ayrton was passed in at Book 2 of the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock yearling sale after failing to reach his $40,000 reserve.
Sent to Cambridge trainer Lauren Brennan, Ayrton showed clear ability when just beaten at his only New Zealand trial by subsequent Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) placegetter Cornflower Blue and caught the eye of bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo.
“I didn’t think he’d be hard to sell,” Cataldo said. “I know Greg McCarthy well, and I thought if I angle it where Greg could stay in, it would certainly be of interest to him, so that’s what we did.
“I do quite a bit with Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr, so I started with them. They liked the look of him and more or less bought him on the spot. He’s got the physique of a really good horse. He’s a big fast machine.”
By Haunui Farm shuttle sire Iffraaj, who left New Zealand shores for the final time in 2019 after more than a decade of service shuttling to Haunui, buyers will have the opportunity to purchase members of the successful sire’s final New Zealand crop, when two weanlings by Iffraaj are offered at Friday’s New Zealand Bloodstock Weanling Sale at Karaka.
Kah also partnered Excelman (NZ) (Reliable Man) to victory earlier on the Caulfield card.
The Richard Lamming-trained gelding was a convincing winner, beating his rivals by 2.5L.
“He was the horse to beat in this race and he made my job very easy,” Kah said. “He’s a beautiful ride. He’s quiet and he’s a jockey’s dream out there.”
