Iowna Merc delivered a dazzling performance to claim the 2025 Canterbury Sprint, securing back-to-back wins and showcasing his sharp turn of foot in the $200,000 Listed event.
Starting at $8.90 with the top online bookmakers, the Bjorn Baker-trained gelding stormed home in a tightly contested finish under jockey Ashley Morgan, defeating Pereille by 0.31 lengths, with Brudenell finishing a further 0.59 lengths back in third.
The five-year-old, jumping from barrier six, settled mid-pack early as Eagle Nest and Al Kobe’s Son set a steady pace up front. Turning for home, Iowna Merc navigated traffic expertly and unleashed a powerful finishing burst, overtaking Pereille and holding off late challenges to win in a time of 1:09.12 on a Good 4 surface.
2025 Canterbury Sprint Replay – Iowna Merc
Morgan, who has been a regular rider across New South Wales, was thrilled to notch another stakes victory in town.
“The plan was to ride him patiently and save him for one run. The speed was on, and when the gaps appeared, he responded brilliantly,” Morgan said post-race.
“He’s a tough, honest horse, and it’s great to see him back in form.”
Stable representative Luke Hilton praised the gelding’s resilience and Baker’s training efforts.
“We weren’t entirely sure if Canterbury would suit him, but he’s in top form, and Ash gave him the perfect ride,” Hilton said.
“It’s fantastic to see him wind the clock back and show his best again. Hopefully, this momentum carries into the rest of 2025.”
Runner-up Pereille, a $6 Dabble chance, ran valiantly for James Cummings, coming from the tail of the field to narrowly miss victory, while Brudenell’s strong $14 third-place finish suggested he is improving with each start.
Eagle Nest, who led for much of the race, and Dollar Magic, who endured a wide run throughout, rounded out the top five.
Time To Boogie, the heavily-backed $2.80 Neds favourite, was unlucky in running, trapped in a pocket and unable to unleash his sprint. He finished a disappointing seventh, with connections eyeing a quick turnaround.
With this victory, Iowna Merc has now seven wins from 20 starts, pushing his career earnings past $776,000.
Bjorn Baker and connections will now look to build on this success as they plot his next move.
Horse racing news
