It’s not uncommon for high achieving mares to display race day eccentricities. They know exactly why they’re being taken to the track, and the adrenaline flows from the moment they’re loaded onto the horse transport. They all react in different ways.
When at home in Brad Widdup’s Hawkesbury stables, butter wouldn’t melt in Icebath’s mouth. On race days she can be a little restive on the way to the track and in the “tie up” stalls, but when it’s time to saddle up the real fireworks begin. “She’s likely to jump on top of anyone standing in front of her, while anyone standing on either side will be jammed against the dividing rail,” said Brad.” She’s all but out of control in the short time it takes to get the saddle and lead bag into position.
“We got permission to saddle her in the swab stall on Saturday where she couldn’t pin us against a rail or corner post. It took four of us to get her ready. Strapper Melissa McKenna held her head, assistant trainer Andre Rabbett was on the near side, I got on the off side while her work rider Rosie Jilla handed over the four necessary items – non-slip pad, lead bag, saddle cloth and finally Kerrin McEvoy’s saddle. The mare tolerated the procedure until the girth was tightened by which time she was ready to explode. It was a case of unclipping the cross ties and getting her out to the parade yard as quickly as possible. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
In the belief The Invitation would be run at a genuine speed, Kerrin McEvoy elected to go back from a wide gate. The speed was assured when Tommy Berry on the hotpot Entriviere took on the leader Vangelic at the 800m. McEvoy elected to start his move at the 600m where he was able to get onto the back of Rocha Clock who took him around the turn and over the rise. When Icebath was produced at the 300m she unleashed the burst Brad Widdup has been waiting to see from the start of her current campaign . “She’s had so much bad luck this preparation,” said the trainer. “Bad barriers and impeded runs have dogged her in several races including the Epsom when she should have finished a lot closer to the winner. It was so good to see her let down with clear space in front of her. She put them away very quickly.”
She covers some ground! Icebath stretches out to beat a crack field of mares in Saturday's Invitation - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Saturday’s emphatic victory took Icebath’s record to four wins, six seconds and four thirds from just twenty five starts. Second placings in a Golden Eagle and a Doncaster have helped propel her earnings to a whopping $3,381,740. She’ll be given the opportunity to build on that tally over the next couple of weeks in Melbourne. “She’ll be nominated for two races on Derby Day - the Gr 1 Empire Rose Stakes and the Gr 1 Cantala Stakes with a decision to be made later in the week,” said Brad. “If all goes to plan, I’d love to stretch her out to 2000m in the Gr 2 Matriarch Stakes for mares on November 6th. We’ll take one step at a time.”
The Icebath story is one of twists and turns. She was originally purchased at the 2018 Inglis Classic Sale for $110,000, but extenuating circumstances saw her offered for private sale a year later for $160,000. By then she’d been in and out of work three times and had no greater fan than Brad Widdup himself. “I arranged for clients to take over the ownership pending a veterinary examination,” said the trainer. “I was shocked when x-rays revealed small bone chips in both fore fetlock joints. Obviously, I expected my new clients to lose interest immediately.”
Syndicate manager David McGrath was greatly heartened when the vet assured him the chips could be easily removed by arthroscopy. He indicated a good prognosis and expressed his confidence that the filly would race sound. When the asking price was dramatically reduced to $50,000, the syndicate elected to go ahead with the deal. David McGrath was joined by his father John, Taz Roufos, and twin brothers Simon and David Basheer. The latter ranks among Australia’s most versatile sports commentators, perhaps best known for his outstanding SBS soccer commentaries.
The syndicate members quickly learned that patience is a prerequisite of horse ownership. Icebath wasn’t disgraced in three strong two year old races after which she was spelled. Next time in she ran second in a Wyong maiden but Brad wasn’t completely happy. “She just didn’t stretch out as I expected, and I had the feeling those front joints still hadn’t reached maturity,” he said. “We opted for a further long break and it was thirty three weeks before she was seen again.”
That spell transformed the Sacred Falls filly into the high quality race mare she is today. On resuming she quickly snared a maiden at Newcastle and comfortably won a Cl 1 at Kembla. Then came the performance that convinced Brad she was slowly approaching the kind of form he’d anticipated. “She actually put her head in front for a few strides before finishing sixth less than a length from the winner in a very hot Gr 3 Kembla Classic for 3YO fillies,” said the trainer. “Godolphin filly Asiago won the race from Shout The Bar who’s since won two Gr 1’s. Third placegetter was All Saints’ Eve who finished fourth in the Golden Eagle not long after. That was the turning point. Icebath has been on an upward spiral ever since. Thankfully she hasn’t taken a lame step along the way.”
Icebath's very first win - Newcastle 2020 with Christian Reith in the saddle - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The $2 million dollar Invitation hadn’t even been invented when Icebath went to the paddock after going under by only a head to Cascadian in this year’s Doncaster. She hadn’t been able to win in four lead up runs to The Invitation but had finished close up on each occasion. She’d had her share of bad luck in a couple of those races. Her dynamic win on Saturday more than compensated. “It was more relief than anything,” said Brad.
“Here is a mare with enough ability to run seconds in a Golden Eagle and a Doncaster, but before Saturday had been unable to win a feature.
“The smaller stables rarely enjoy the privilege of having a genuine Gr 1 horse on the roster. Every bad barrier and every hard luck story gets you down. You only get a limited number of chances each preparation, and you hate to waste a run. The lost opportunity is something that’s gone forever.”
Icebath went within a head of a Gr. 1 win when beaten in the last stride by Cascadian in the Doncaster - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
It’s hard to believe Brad Widdup has been training in his own right for just five and a half years, but few trainers have had a more thorough grounding. Brad grew up in Albury where he learned the basics from his father Pat, a small team trainer who was also an expert “breaker” of horses. Brad was twenty years old when he gained a start at Warwick Farm with respected trainer Rod Craig. He later spent four years with the astute expatriate Kiwi, Brian Smith who was training the elite mare Circles Of Gold at the time.
Brad actually strapped Circles Of Gold when she won the AJC Oaks and several other races. She later won fame in the breeding barn as the dam of Elvstroem and Haradasun who won seven Gr 1’s between them.
At the end of his rewarding stint with B.J. Smith, Brad rejoined Rod Craig who by this time was training his “dream horse” Intergaze. The exciting chestnut won twelve races including 8 Gr 1’s and $3.7 million in prize money. In search of a sea change young Widdup then ventured to Queensland where he joined Liam Birchley as one of Bill Mitchell’s northern foremen. The position became available with the departure of Peter Moody who’d decided to train in his own right.
Brad proudly displays the handsome Invitation trophy on Saturday - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Four years later and still feeling unsure about a solo career, Brad returned to Sydney and a new job with Graham Rogerson who was training a big team at Randwick. In his ten months with the Kiwi trainer Brad got to work with a couple of yearlings who would develop into headline acts. One of them was Not A Single Doubt who won stakes races before becoming a high profile stallion. The other was Cox Plate winner Savabeel who is currently one of the most sought after stallions in the southern hemisphere.
There’s little doubt Brad was sufficiently qualified to consider his own training career at that stage of his life, but felt the need for further education. He chose to work for other trainers for a further thirteen years - four years with Kevin Moses at Randwick and no less than nine with Crown Lodge which later became Darley and finally Godolphin. Just four months after starting his new job under Peter Snowden, Brad was stunned by the news that Bob Ingham had decided to sell his vast racing operation to Sheikh Mohammed for the unimaginable sum of half a billion dollars.
Widdup stayed on with the organisation through the remainder of Peter Snowden’s involvement and for a further two and a half years under John O’Shea. It was 2017 when he finally bit the bullet and launched his own training career at Hawkesbury. Despite being readied by twenty four years of experience working under some of Australia’s best horsemen, the thought of going it alone was an intimidating one.
He endured an early setback when his principal owner exited the industry leaving him with a number of empty boxes. Brad hasn’t taken a backward step. He takes average horses where they’re most likely to win, and places the better ones to advantage on the metropolitan and provincial tracks. Apart from his star boarder Icebath Brad has produced notable winners in Sandbar, Akari, Switched, Junglized, Rare Episode, Trengganu, Deepfield’s Raine, Showtime Lady and the very talented mare Adelong who’s already a stakes winner, and mixing it with some pretty hot opposition currently.
Sandbar was one of a handful of special horses to help launch Brad's solo training career - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
With the possible exception of Icebath’s win in the inaugural Invitation, Brad’s supreme thrill in recent months revolves around a piece of real estate. Unable to source stabling at any other Sydney location, the trainer successfully negotiated the purchase of the Hawkesbury stables he’s occupied since the commencement of his solo training career. “I’m so pleased we’ve finally been able to secure the Rickaby St property,” he said. “This is a lovely place to prepare horses, and trainers are admirably looked after by the Hawkesbury Race Club. For a family man like me, the Hawkesbury Valley offers a wonderful lifestyle. My wife Milissa and children Cooper, Hunter and Madison all love the locality.”
Despite a win in a $2 million dollar mares race, Gr 1 status continues to elude the massively talented Icebath. “I’d love to see that valuable tag alongside her name,” says Brad. “This is the reason we’re heading straight to Melbourne. She’s super fit and coming off a barnstorming win at Randwick which can only enhance her confidence. Provided she’s comfortable going the opposite way, you’d think Flemington is made for her. It’s just a matter of making the right choice between the Empire Rose and the Cantala. I’m probably leaning towards the Cantala in which she’ll get a handy weight.”
With a 53 horse team under his control at Hawkesbury and continuing quarantine regulations in force, Brad has elected to stay at home this weekend. Andre Rabbett has already arrived in Melbourne, and will supervise Icebath’s saddling procedure at Flemington. “Andre knows her backwards and will round up a posse to help him with a nightmare task,” says Brad. “In a way I hope she puts on another rodeo performance because it will mean she’s right on her game.”
Icebath is already a very valuable mare. A Group 1 win would put the icing on the cake. It would also consolidate the widely held belief that Brad Widdup is a very serious horse trainer.
Icebath was pipped by Colette (outside) in last year's Golden Eagle - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - Icebath was low flying on the line in the inaugural Invitation at Randwick on Saturday - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)