Derby Victory for Prized Icon

You could have bought classy colt Prized Icon from the Widden Stud draft at the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Passing in shy of his $300,000 reserve when consigned for sale by Widden Stud, Prized Icon came out and won the Group I ATC Champagne Stakes last season at two and on Saturday came out to win the Group I VRC Victoria Derby.

The James Cummings trained son of More Than Ready (USA) showed his class when powering away to win the 2500 metre Blue Riband by two and a half lengths over race favourite Sacred Elixir taking his overall earnings in excess of $1.4 million.

Cummings said he was thrilled the way the race unfolded.

“The first thing I can reflect on is how beautifully Glyn (Schofield) had this horse travelling, especially in the early stages,” Cummings said.

“To win staying races like this, horses just love to be in their own comfort zone, their own space and today was chalk and cheese from this horse of what we saw last week where he got none of that.

“The miles and miles of Cummings training have kicked in and he’s kicked away to win a Derby nicely and convincingly.

“He’s been the model of consistency his whole career, this is thirteen starts now for ten placings and this is his second Group 1.”

Prized Icon is a Gooree Stud blue-blood being a sibling to Group III winners Matras and Perfect Moon from stakes-winning Danehill (USA) mare Tropical Affair, who has proven a top class producer.