By Glenn Davis
Trainer David Vandyke is hopeful Iamican can join stablemate Alligator Blood on a trip to Sydney for the autumn but admits to having some reservations when the filly makes her debut at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Like Alligator Blood, Iamican is paid up for the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 23 but Vandyke has not locked in any specific target for the pair if they head south.
However, Iamican can book her Sydney ticket with a strong showing in the QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap (1000m) in which she’ll be ridden by Ryan Maloney.
Iamican produced a brilliant trial win on her home track at the Sunshine Coast last month when Alligator Blood ran third but Vandyke was concerned she did it too easy in her trial victory.
“She’s quite new and I’m a bit concerned she may have done it too easy in her trial win,” Vandyke said.
“I told Ryan (Maloney) to see what she could do when put under pressure but she got to the front way too soon and did it too easy.
“It has left me a little unsure what she can find when she’s put under pressure and I would have preferred a better barrier (12).”
Iamican cost $475,000 at last year’s Magic Millions sales and is well bred being by boom sire I Am Invicible out of the New Zealand Stakes winning mare If I Can I Can.
“She’s a beautiful looking filly and is well bred,” Vandyke said.
“She’s got a lot of speed and if she wins, she’ll go to Sydney for the traditional lead up races to the Golden Slipper with Alligator Blood.
“Alligator Blood will have his next start at Eagle Farm over 1300 metres on February 23 and all the feature races in Sydney are on the radar for both of them.”
Vandyke considered running Iamican against Alligator Blood when the gelding won at the Sunshine Coast last week before keeping them apart.
“I was toying to run them both last weekend but I decided to wait a week with Iamican,” he said.
“I’d rather win two races than run first and second in one race.”
Racing Queensland webnews January 30