Isthmus Eyeing A Crack At Royal Ascot

[Wandering Eyes]

Straight-track specialist Isthmus (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) has been handed the G1 Black Caviar Lightning and G1 Newmarket Handicap as targets during the Australian autumn, according to Racing.com. If she continues to excel, the G3 Furphy Sprint heroine will have punched her ticket to an engagement at Royal Ascot in June.

The bay won her 800-metre heat during the Caulfield jumpouts on Wednesday morning. She broke her maiden at second asking in a handicap at Moonee Valley in March of last year. After four starts at two, Isthmus resumed with a win in a handicap at Sandown in September, prior to her 2 1/2-length victory in the 1100-metre Furphy Sprint down Flemington's straight course on Nov. 2.

“She did really well in her break and she strengthened right up and seemed to move well this morning,” co-trainer Sam Freedman, who trains the mare in partnership with his father Anthony, told the publication.

“It's form-based, so she obviously needs to measure up the top level over the course of this carnival and if she does, [part-owner] Jonathan Munz is very keen to get her over there [Royal Ascot].

“We had a chat with Arrowfield [part-owners] in Queensland as well and they are on the same page that if her form warrants it, that certainly she could get a trip over.”

The well-named Isthmus is a daughter of three-time Group 1 winner Shoals (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who was also trained by Freedman.

“Early days we felt she was one of our better 2-year-olds but mentally she probably just wasn't there yet, but she always jumped out nicely and probably went into the wilderness for one preparation,” he added.

“It's been a bit of a slow burn with her, Shoals was a little bit the same, she kicked off late in her 2-year-old season and got better as a 3-year-old and then as a mare, so I think the best of her will hopefully be over the next 12 months.”

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