Newcastle, September, 16 – As the field walked around behind the gates for the Group Three Spring Stakes over 1600 metres at Newcastle on Wednesday afternoon you couldn’t help but notice the raging hot favourite Ilovethiscity is the very image of his sire Magic Albert, who won the race in 2001.
A powerful well made chestnut, Iovethiscity (pictured courtesy www.stevehart.com.au) was favourite for the Newcastle feature on the strength of his desperately unlucky third to Toorak Toff in the $1million Group One Golden Rose and he gave punters no cause for concern.
The Grahame Begg trained three year-old was partnered for the first time by big race rider Glen Boss, who rode him like the good thing he was.
Allowed to settle at the rear from a wide gate, Ilovethiscity made ground out wide coming to the turn and loomed into contention with a long sustained run that carried him all the way to the line where he arrive a length clear of Giresun to post his first Black Type win.
Glen Boss sought out the ride on Ilovethiscity, so was well rewarded for being pro-active and will partner the colt in the upcoming Group One MRC Caulfield Guineas on October 9.
“As soon as I got on him and dropped over his neck today I knew he was a quality individual,” Boss said after the race.
“He has got a magic stride and feels like his feet hardly touch the ground.”
A $40,000 purchase for his trainer from the Fairview Park Stud draft at the 2009 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Ilovethiscity is raced by a large syndicate who enjoyed previous success with another smart Begg trained winner Handsupfordetroit, whose BOBs bonuses were used to double up and purchase Ilovethiscity.
Now a clear second favourite for the Caulfield Guineas, Ilovethiscity has already won $303,100 in prizemoney with two wins and three placings from just seven starts.
Ilovethiscity is the fifth living foal of the Kenfair mare Kensington Rose (NZ), whose dam is a three-quarter sister-in blood to high class miler Dalmacia, who was trained by Neville Begg to win races such as the Group One AJC Epsom Handicap.
This is also the family of champion racehorse and sire Lonhro as well as Group One winners Grosvenor, Mahaya and Niello, so we should not be surprised that Ilovethiscity appears to relish a longer journey.
Kensington Rose was covered again by Magic Albert last spring so is expecting a full sibling to the Spring Stakes winner.
Ilovethiscity is the 10th stakes-winner for Yarraman Park based Magic Albert and for a sire that stands at a fee of $13,750, you don’t get better value.
