Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Young Jandabup trainer Ryan Cummins has no regrets that he paid $6000 early in 2022 to buy Ifeel Sikdarl, who scored a strong all-the-way victory in the $21,000 www.gloucesterpark.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This took his earnings for the 29-year-old Cummins to $79,576 from nine wins and 15 placings from 38 starts after leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond had won three races with him.
“He has been a good buy,” said Cummins. “He was one of some pacers Greg was moving on, and he offered him to me. I bought my first horse, Next Dawn, from Greg, and after that other horses I have bought from him have been False Promise, Everton VC, Mighty Major and The Lightning Strike.
Cummins, who acknowledged the help and encouragement from his parents, has won races with all those pacers. Ifeel Sikdarl’s win on Friday night gave Cummins his first metropolitan-class win since Mighty Major was successful on December 14, 2018, when he beat Beltane by a half-head.
Ifeel Sikdarl was a $4.10 chance on Friday night from the No. 1 barrier, and Maddison Brown had to drive the WA-bred six-year-old vigorously to withstand a spirited early challenge for the lead from $5.50 fancy Peligroso, who led by a half-length but was unable to cross to the front.
This resulted in a fast lead time of 35.7sec., but Brown was then able to get Ifeel Sikdarl to relax and coast through the first 400m section of the final mile in 31.7sec. before the final quarters were run in 29.7sec., 27.8sec. and 29.4sec.
Ifeel Sikdarl won by a half-length from $13 chance State Of Heaven, who ran on solidly from sixth at the bell. Tubbs Farquhar ($151) was last at the bell before finishing fast to be third.
Sugar Apple, the $2.70 favourite from the No. 4 barrier, galloped badly in the score-up before he made up lost ground quickly, and aided by an inside run, was able to gain a perfect passage behind the pacemakeing Ifeel Sikdarl.
Sugar Apple was hampered for a clear passage in the late stages of the race and finished a close-up fourth. However, the stewards disqualified Sugar Apple and promoted $51 chance Franco Western to fourth after finishing in fifth place.
The stewards disqualified Sugar Apple because his driver Lindsay Harper started from an incorrect barrier.