IVICTORY

4th June 2017

It wasn’t worry-free but Price Bloodstock three-year-old Ivictory kept his unbeaten run intact on Sunday at Sha Tin when he made it two from two for Umberto Rispoli.

The Italian jockey was on board when Ivictory was a big debut winner over 1,000m and punters sent him out odds-on favourite to extend the run stepping up to 1,200m and he did it nicely in the end.

With trainer John Size away in Japan, Rispoli said they had mapped out the race on the phone the night before and almost everything went as planned until the final 300m.

“We knew he would have the speed to be up closer over the extra distance but, for a young horse, only his second start and with 133 pounds to carry, I could see the sense in not leading. John said Amazing Moments might try to come across and lead us and he said to let him go and sit behind him,” Rispoli said. “That’s how the race worked out but when we turned for home, I had the leader and the horse on his outside, Noble De Boy, keeping me in. I had plenty of horse, I wasn’t worried, but either one had to kick or one had to fade or I was going to be stuck and they were both going about the same. I kept looking for the run and luckily Amazing Moments got a bit tired and moved away from the rail and I had somewhere to go through. He responded like a good horse and sprinted well and it was fairly easy in the end. He’s a nice horse and he should handle the next class ok.”

The son of Mossman made light of his handicap once the run did come and came clear to win by more than two lengths and his future looks bright.