Iamishwara Catches Group 1 Glory

Achieving victory at Group 1 status on Saturday was Iamishwara (NZ) (Keeninsky) in the $200,000 Group 1 Haunui Farm Group One WFA Classic (1600m) at Otaki.

Iamishwara (NZ) victorious in the Group 1 Haunui Farm Group One WFA Classic. Photo courtesy of Race Images Palmerston North.

Iamishwara has won 11 races out of his 55 starts with a further 14 places with trainer Antony Kaye. Prior to Saturday’s race, the Kenninsky gelding had won one race at stakes level and placed in two other stakes races, finishing second just a week earlier in the Group 3 Hooker Pacific Taranaki Cup.

“It was a fantastic run,” commented Kaye. “I’ve always had a lot of faith in him and he has always shown me plenty of ability that he could do that. He has had a lot of doubters in the past and it just panned out in his favour with the way the race was run with a slow tempo early on.

“Robbie (Hannam) rode him fantastic, by choosing to come through on the inside and saving all that ground it helped him to win the race.

“I had a lot of confidence going into that race, he had a really good attitude and was really relaxed and everything just came together.”

Beginning from barrier 2 for jockey Robert Hannam, Iamishwara jumped to settle mid-field on the inside with Natuzzi (NZ) (Coats Choice) leading the way. The field worked at a leisurely rate leading into the turn for home but Iamishwara and Julinsky Prince (NZ) (Darci Brahma) put pacemaker Natuzzi under pressure in the run home.

The two NZB graduates, Natuzzi and Iamishwara, sprinted ahead of Julinsky Prince to battle for victory to the very end. Iamishwara gained the upper hand in the finals stages of the race to win narrowly by a short head from Natuzzi with Julinsky Prince in third place.

“We will be looking at the NZ International Trophy at Tauranga next but it depends how he pulls through this. He will be up in the ratings now so just having a think about it at this stage.

“He is a neat little horse, good attitude and he fits in so well, he has kept us going. My uncle, Joe Walls, purchased him and I give him full credit. He [Walls] is fantastic when it comes to picking out a horse and he has introduced me to many new people, I’m thankful he is my uncle.”

The Group 1 victory has increased the five-year-olds prizemoney to $346,122 for owner and trainer Antony and Nicky Kaye.

Purchased at the 2011 Karaka Festival Sale for $8,000 by NZB as agent from N. J. Wall.

Iamishwara was bred by R H E Killick and N J Wall and is out of She’s Heroic (Clay Hero). Iamishwara is a full-sibling to She’s Prestigious (Kenninsky), who ran third in the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, and a half-brother to He’s Heroic (Zerpour), winner of 8 races and placegetter in the Group 2 Counties Cup.