Maloney has drive to ride Iamican
GOLD Coast jockey Ryan Maloney’s dedication in the gym and to travelling could be rewarded when filly Iamican makes her much-anticipated debut at Eagle Farm today.
A $400,000 Magic Millions yearling, Iamican is the most expensive horse trainer David Vandyke has bought and is a $4.60 chance with Ladbrokes for the QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap (1000m).
Vandyke has a big opinion of the I Am Invincible filly and she is among the second acceptors for the Group 1 Golden Slipper in Sydney on March 23.
Iamican showed the Sunshine Coast-based Vandyke might be on the right track when she made short work of a Caloundra barrier trial three weeks ago.
In her wake was her stablemate Alligator Blood who was an impressive winner in a feature two-year-old race at the Sunshine Coast last Saturday.
Maloney, 33, came back early from injury sustained in a Doomben fall on December 19 after intensive rehabilitation work.
One of the first things he did when given the green light to ride was to head to the Sunshine Coast to join Iamican in the trial.
It is usually about a threehour round trip from Maloney’s Gold Coast home to the Sunshine Coast but during the holiday period it can be closer to five.
Vandyke said he appreciated Maloney’s dedication to ride Iamican.
“It was a bit of a giveaway about her ability but she is an expensive filly with plenty of ability,” he said.
“But you want to see them do it in a race. If she wins she can join Alligator Blood in a trip to Sydney.”
The Vandyke-trained Yankee Rose, a $10,000 purchase, ran second to Capitalist in the 2016 Golden Slipper.