Ilikeit Iloveit to take on Vandyke guns

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Kevin Kemp is aware that small fields can often produce upset results, and will be hoping that's the case when his talented filly Ilikeit Iloveit starts at Ipswich on Wednesday.

Ilikeit Iloveit takes on the David Vandyke big guns Keefy and Sea Ripple in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Benchmark 65 Handicap which has attracted a small field of five.

All three starters will be stepping up to 1666 metres for the first time but Kemp is hopeful his daughter of Group 1 winner Sizzling can come out on top.

Ilikeit Iloveit has started only four times for two wins on her home track at Toowoomba and is coming off a last start second to the John Wallace-trained Hats in a similar 1400-metre Benchmark race at the Gold Coast on September 4.

“She’s done a great job so far and we’re rapt the way she’s going,” Kemp said.

“If she races well, she might go on to something a bit better.

“I was very impressed with her finishing style in her two Toowoomba wins.

“In her last win she beat Mishani Delight who ran second to Rob Heathcote’s Startantes and she's gone on to win three straight.

“There were no excuses last time at the Gold Coast when she got beaten by a better one on the day.”

Ilikeit Iloveit – a Montanna Savva mount - was passed in for $20,000 as a yearling at the 2020 QTIS March sales at the Gold Coast and is raced on lease by Kemp’s wife Judith and Ulandra Bloodstock.

In comparison, Keefy was a $105,000 purchase at the Sydney Inglis sales in 2020 while her stablemate Sea Ripple was knocked down for $325,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions sales at the Gold Coast.

“They don’t know what they cost at the sales and we won’t be sitting at home wondering,” Kemp said.

Sea Ripple, a daughter of Sebring, was ultra-impressive winning her debut over 1300 metres at the Sunshine Coast last month while Keefy was a close fifth in a 1350-metre Class 3 at his last start at Doomben in August.