Michael Cahill guides Ironstein to victory in Caloundra Cup

Nathan Exelby From: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

 IRONSTEIN completed his transformation from slow coach to serious stayer and bigger options now await after his impressive Caloundra Cup (2400m) win on the Sunshine Coast.
Typical of the Zabeel progeny, Ironstein has improved with time and he had no trouble handling his first test at 2400m.

Like he has in two previous Sydney wins this preparation, Ironstein put his rivals to the sword with a superior turn of foot soon after straightening.

Immaturity probably cost him a bigger winning margin, as he had only a neck to spare over the brave Tinseltown ($4.40 fav) on the line, but victory was never really in doubt.

"I was lucky I watched his last run in Sydney because I was a little bit prepared for it," winning rider Michael Cahill said.

"He did get to the front and look around and when he did have the race in his keeping he wanted to duck inwards abruptly. The margin of a neck probably flattered the second horse."

Ironstein was rated a lost cause when his career started in Victoria, losing his first four starts by a combined margin of 35 lengths.

"When he came up from Melbourne he had no form and he came to me with a bad reputation," trainer Gerald Ryan said.

"We went to Craig Roberts at Evergreen Farm and he just took all the gear off him and went back to scratch."

Ryan said Singleton described Ironstein as "the slowest horse ever to walk out of Strawberry Hill".

Ryan is looking at this month's Grafton Cup but thinks the gelding will come into his own next autumn.

"Jim Cassidy rode him in January and put half a wrap on him and it was then that we set him for this race," Ryan said.

"He went terrific second-up, which I didn't think he could do at 1550m, and then he's just gone on his merry way.

"He might be a spring horse next year, but next autumn will be when he gets his chance in the better races."

Ironstein drew barrier one, but Cahill was keen to angle for clear running before the turn.

"I had a few anxious moments coming to the turn, but once I got him into the clear, the horse did the rest," Cahill said.

It was another consolation prize for the Mike Moroney stable, with Tinseltown's second adding to a frustrating carnival of near misses.

Tinseltown was forced to cover additional ground back in the field, but kept eating into the winner's margin in the run to the line.

Moroney has placed in a number of feature races this year, with Marheta's Doomben Roses win the lone highlight.

"We have had good carnivals here, so we can't complain, Moroney said. "He was brave and got caught off the track a little bit and he will probably have a break now."

Teary Eyed continued his consistent form over a long campaign to grab third.
 

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