Racing: Ironstein on track for cups campaign

SUNSHINE COAST - Ironstein, rated the slowest horse ever to come out of John Singleton's Strawberry Hill Stud, could be headed for a Caulfield and Melbourne Cups campaign next year after his narrow win in the Listed Caloundra Cup.

Ridden a treat by Michael Cahill, the Gerald Ryan-trained 4-year-old gave the Rosehill trainer his first success in Saturday's A$200,000 2400m feature by downing Matamata stayer Tinseltown by a neck.

Gold Coast gelding Teary Eyed filled the minor placing a further 1 lengths away.

While it was Ryan's first Caloundra Cup victory it was the second for Cahill, who was successful on the Russell Cameron-trained Fast Future two years ago.

Ryan has had one of his best winter carnivals in years and the Caloundra Cup triumph was the icing on the cake after stable star Melito broke a string of four group one placings to win at the elite level for the second time in the Winter Stakes at Eagle Farm last week.

He also won the group two Queensland Guineas at Eagle Farm and group three Lord Mayor's Cup at Doomben with Rothesay while Adnocon claimed the listed Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich.

Ryan believes Ironstein has untapped potential but will not be persuaded into changing plans to tackle this year's spring races in Sydney and Melbourne.

"There was some talk about him running this spring but he won't go. I won't be surprised if the two cup races are on his agenda next season when he'll be a 6-year-old.

"When he first came to me from Melbourne he had no form and had a bad reputation."

Ryan said the turnaround came when Ironstein was spelling and a decision was made to get back to nature and remove all his gear.

"Duncan Grimley [Singleton's racing manager] told me he was the slowest horse ever to come out of Strawberry Hill," Ryan said.

Ironstein is also part-owned by wine merchant Andrew Margan and Murray McKeough, who runs a chain of McDonald's stores.

Ryan said he was always confident Ironstein had a staying future and picked out the Caloundra Cup and listed Grafton Cup (2350m) on July 15 as his winter goals.

"Ever since Jim Cassidy rode him and put half a wrap on him when he ran third at Rosehill we picked out the Caloundra and Grafton Cups," he said.

Trainer Mike Moroney was pleased with runner-up Tinseltown but has ruled out a rematch with Ironstein at Grafton.

"It was a very good run under the circumstances," Moroney said. "He got a long way back and was caught wide but he had cover.

"The winner has a good sprint and was too good for us."

Moroney said Tinseltown was likely to head back to New Zealand to spell and a decision had not yet been made whether he would race in Melbourne in the spring.

Among the other New Zealand runners, Solid Billing was fifth, Calatrava finished eighth one place ahead of Court Ruler, with Sand Hawk (14th) beating home Indikator (15th) and The Grogoch (18th).

- AAP