Our Ivanhowe wins the Group 1 Doomben Cup
Hall of Famer Lee Freedman and his brother Anthony produced one of their best training efforts to steer troubled stayer Our Ivanhowe on a course to a win in the Doomben Cup.
Lee Freedman chalked up a record fourth win in the Group One race when Our Ivanhowe ($16) stormed home to beat the favourite Hauraki ($3.20) by a long neck with three quarters of a length to It’s Somewhat ($5.50) in third.
The brothers have now won the race five times but Our Ivanhowe’s win was the first as co-trainers.
Lee Freedman already shared the record for the most wins in the Doomben Cup with Tommy Smith and John Wheeler, having won with Abstraction (1989), Durbridge (1994) and Bush Padre (2003).
Anthony won the Cup with Mawingo in 2012.
Freedman’s first Group One win was with Miss Clipper in the 1986 Australasian Oaks and he scored his 125th when he joined with Anthony to produce their first elite win for the season with Malaguerra in last week’s BTC Cup.
Our Ivanhowe, a two-time Group One winner in German, was a maiden in Australia although he was third in last year’s Caulfield Cup.
He has been dogged by hoof problems but the Freedmans elected to send him north after he won a barrier trial at Cranbourne over 1550m.
When he was beaten in The BMW in Sydney on March 26 the brothers took him to their Victorian property for rehabilitation.
They have made mass changes to Our Ivanhowe, taking the visor off him but adding blinkers again and glue-on shoes.
Anthony Freedman said it had been a team effort to get Our Ivanhowe to the Doomben Cup.
“Our farriers have done a lot of hard work. He seems to race best in glue-on shoes,” Freedman said.
“This horse has been very unlucky in races like the Australian Cup. He is an expensive horse and we have had pressure on us. But there is no reason he shouldn’t go on from here.”
Freedman said a decision would be made on whether to run Our Ivanhowe in the Brisbane Cup (2400m) on June 11 in the next few days.
Winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy said Our Ivanhowe didn’t have a lot of luck early but the good pace had suited him.
“He really motored home when he got in the clear. He is a class horse,” he said.
Godolphin had to settle for second and third but could offer no excuses.
“Hauraki had his chance and he is coming to the end of a long preparation,” said jockey James McDonald.
Damian Browne said It’s Somewhat also had his chance but had raced well.
Kiwi galloper Volkstok’n’barrell was fourth and his jockey Blake Shinn said there were no excuses.