Icebath primed for The Invitation

Trainer Brad Widdup believes his mare Icebath is cherry ripe for Saturday’s A$2 million The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick.

The Sacred Falls six-year-old won the race last year and while she hasn’t won a race since, Widdup is confident of a bold showing from the mare this weekend.

She has followed a similar spring path to what she did last year, running seventh in the Gr.1 Winx Stakes (1400m) first-up before posting runner-up results in the Gr.2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) and Gr.1 George Main Stakes (1600m).

She was a beaten favourite in the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) earlier this month when fourth, but Widdup reported she has come along in leaps and bounds since that run.

“If you say fourth in an Epsom is disappointing, most people would say you are a hard marker, but that has been her most disappointing run so far,” Widdup told RacingHQ. 

“You can come up with a hundred excuses for her last start. Maybe in that run against Anamoe (Geroge Main) she may have peaked a bit there, and the track was a bit sticky (last start).

“She has trained on well, she looks fantastic and is rock hard for Saturday.”

Iceabath will jump from barrier three on Saturday with Tommy Sherry aboard.“I think she is in great order and has drawn well. Tommy Sherry gets his chance on her, he has ridden her a couple of times and knows her well,” Widdup said.

“I think she is spot on for Saturday.”

Widdup purchased the Waikato Stud-bred filly in Australia as a yearling for $100,000.