Stakes Success for Ilovethiscity Debutant

Mark Smith - Saturday February 29

The Greg Eurell-trained Ilovemyself was well-supported to make a winning career debut in Saturday’s Listed Very Special Kids Plate (1000m) at Flemington but it looked bleak for his supporters when Damien Oliver found himself in a zip-fastener pocket with 100 metres left to run.

But once he found clear air Ilovemyself let down impressively to put three-quarters of a length on the well-performed Night Of Thunder filly River Night with the Snitzel filly Time Is Precious the same distance back in third.Ilovemyself - images Grant Courtney

Eurell said he had not ruled out a shot at the Golden Slipper for the handsome son of Ilovethiscity.

"It's certainly a possibility," Eurell told racing.com.

"The Pago Pago is on in a fortnight and we'll seriously think about contesting it.

"The heartbeat started to get a lot stronger when he couldn't get any room there.

"Once he did start to stretch out, he's a very tough horse and it was a matter of hoping the line didn't come up too quick.

"It was a bit gut-wrenching. It would have been disappointing to lose it that way.

"I believe he would be better suited to the 1200 metres so it might be worth sneaking up there and seeing what he can do."

Ilovemyself is a homebred for Larneuk Stud Neville Murdoch who would have to stump up $150,000 for a late entry fee into the Slipper.

"The late entry fee is a bit of a sticky one but if we can get some more prizemoney it'll help me push him to get him in the race," Eurell said.

A son of the Larnauk Stud resident Ilovethiscity, Ilovemyself is out of the unraced Xaar mare Sunstyle who was purchased for just $700 out of the Vinery Stud draft at the 2014 Inglis Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale.

Though the pedigree had been devoid of a stakes-winner for many generations, Sunstyle has proven to be a consistent producer with five winners from six foals to race.

She has a yearling filly by Cluster and a colt foal by Wolf’s Cry and was bred back to the that son of Street’s Cry again last spring.

Ilovemyself becomes the third stakes-winner for Ilovethiscity whose yearlings will be in short supply with just 15 live foals from his crop of 2018 although he covered 70 mares that year and 59 last year at a fee of $5,500.

 

Advertisment

Race Result - Very Special Kids Plate LR 1000m

Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 0:57.62
1
Ilovemyself
- 2c Ilovethiscity (AUS) x Sunstyle (AUS) (Xaar (GB))
Tnr: G Eurell Rdr: D Oliver 56
2
0.8
River Night
- 2f Night Of Thunder (IRE) x River Pearl (AUS) (Helmet (AUS))
Tnr: M Ellerton & S Zahra Rdr: Ms L J Meech 54
3
1.6
Time Is Precious
- 2f Snitzel (AUS) x Rose Of Sharon (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: G A Ryan Rdr: L Nolen 55
4
3.0
Destination
- 2c Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Heaven (AUS) (Medaglia D'Oro (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Damian Lane 57
5
3.7
Chart Buster
- 2c Akeed Mofeed (GB) x Cheap Thrills (AUS) (Giant's Causeway (USA))
Tnr: D & B Hayes & T Dabernig Rdr: Regan Bayliss 56
6
3.8
Vangelic
- 2f Vancouver (AUS) x Angel Bee (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Craig Williams 54
7
3.9
Diamondesque
- 2f Snitzel (AUS) x Asscher (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: B Prebble 54
8
4.1
Aquagirl
- 2f Headwater (AUS) x Galapagos Girl (AUS) (Dehere (USA))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: Ben Thompson 54
9
4.2
Unstoppabelle
- 2f I Am Invincible (AUS) x Darcibelle (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: M J Dee 54
More Reading...
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
First Stakes Win for Ilovethiscity's Moonlover
After an out of character performance in the Northwood Plume Stakes, Matt Laurie’s ultra-reliable Moonlover bounced back for a career highlight win in Wednesday’s Listed Shojun Concrete Stakes (Black Pearl Stakes) (1200m) at Geelong.
Ilovethiscity Moves to Noor Elaine Farm
Noor Elaine Farm is pleased to announce the arrival of Ilovethiscity to its Euroa based stallion barn.
Ilovethiscity Colt Stakes Derby Claim
El Dorado Dreaming might not be the only Group I winner sired by Ilovethiscity come the end of the spring carnival with the Darren Weir trained three year-old colt Savoie staking a claim on the Group I VRC Victoria Derby with a runaway win in the $60,000 VRC Derby Trial over 1800 metres at Flemington Wednesday.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.