KEY POINTS:
Tauranga trainer Brian McKeagg rocked the tote in more ways than one with I'm Isaac's St Leger trial upset at Ellerslie yesterday.
McKeagg wouldn't admit to his exact return from the punt after the horse's Trentham tune-up in the ABN Amro Salver.
But the implication was clear - he'd got a pocketful off the $20 price.
"That's not for print, but let's just say it was four-figures," said McKeagg after his career-best success.
"I didn't think he had to step up at all today - he's going to be a cup horse, no doubt about that."
McKeagg always knew that the Istidaad gelding only needed a change in luck to announce his arrival as a serious NZ St Leger Stakes contender on March 17.
The Dunstan Feeds Championships Final at Ellerslie on New Year's Day was a classic hint of what the horse could do with the right run.
After drawing wide he only weakened late to finish a close-up sixth in a red-hot field.
"Bruce Herd rode him that day and had no choice but to go to the front from the draw," said McKeagg.
"He told me after that he was an out-and-out stayer and if he'd gone from the 700m he probably would have won."
McKeagg gave I'm Isaac a freshener after what he called a "shocking ride" from Lisa Cropp at Te Teko.
But when regular rider Allan Peard jumped on board yesterday both were confident of an upset.
"I was a bit worried about the rain though," said McKeagg of the pre-race downpour that downgraded the track to dead.
"I told Allan not to get on the rail and when he was I panicked. But I knew he had a kick. I was just hoping it wouldn't turn into a sit and sprint."
Peard admits he didn't intend to get trapped on the fence but he got a beautiful drag off the rail from Matthew Cameron on Leontes when needed.
"He was moving a bit on the corner on the rain-affected track, but he just kept grinding to the line," said Peard, who now rates the horse a big St Leger chance.
