Is It Me (Iffraaj) posted a dominant win at Caulfield on Saturday, backing up his impressive last-start victory and giving Celine Gaudray an early treble at Caulfield.
Prepared by Daniel Bowman, the gelding, who has only finished out of the placings twice from nine starts, was subject to heavy market support prior to the 1200m Benchmark 70 and started a $2.70 favourite.
Jumping from the middle alley, Gaudray positioned the four-year-old son of Iffraaj three wide with cover down the side of the course, stalking third-elect Pink Beau Ty (Brazen Beau) ($8), who gave a decent kick around the bend.
But Is It Me quickly sidled up alongside and swept passed with ease, pulling away late to make it back-to-back wins.
“That was perfect – Celine kept him in plenty of galloping room, let him track up behind on the back of one of the other chances in (Brian) McGrath’s, and he was too strong,” Bowman said.
“He was a bit beaten for speed early back to the 1200, and just his ability midrace, when she asked him to get on the back of that horse, he did it easily, and then quickened again.
“He’s got to keep learning and going through his grades, and hopefully in six months we can have some real fun.”
The Warrnambool-based trainer said he would wait and see how Is It Me pulls up before deciding whether to push on this campaign or not.
“We’ll just see how he comes through it,” he said.
“He really knocks himself around in a race and loses a lot of weight – we just take it one run at a time when we’re this deep into the prep with him.
“But it’s all fun, everyone’s happy winning races, so we’ll keep cracking if he’s up to it.”
By former Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Iffraaj, Is It Me is out of the stakes-placed Peintre Celebre mare Gosh, with Bowman purchasing the smart galloper for $40,000 at the Melbourne Yearling Sale.
The gelding has won four of his nine career starts, with a further three runner-up finishes.
