I Am The Fox set for Darwin return on Saturday

[Wandering Eyes]

I Am The Fox with Jason Lyon in the saddle after winning the 2021 Alice Springs Cup. (Photo: NT News)

After a disappointing performance in the Darwin Cup (2050m) on August 1, it would have come as no surprise if nine-year-old gelding I Am The Fox had been retired.

But that is not the case, as Top End-based trainer Tayarn Halter elected to spell the horse when it was discovered the son of Foxwedge had suffered a complication after contesting NT’s biggest race at Fannie Bay.

“He had a little issue after the Cup,” Halter said.

“He had a cardiac arrhythmia, but he came through it.

“The owners just wanted to give him a break, so he’s had a good spell.

“He’s a sound horse, but he’s back on an Alice Springs Cup trail.”

I Am The Fox, winner of the 2021 Alice Springs Cup (2000m) at Pioneer Park before running a gallant second behind Gary Clarke’s Count Of Essex in this year’s edition on May 1, returns to action at the Darwin meeting on Saturday.

Lumping 63.5kg due to a rating of 89, the gelding will line up in the Sitzler Benchmark 76 Handicap (1200m) – the feature race on the five-event program.

In a career that has spanned 65 races since debuting at Port Macquarie in September 2016, I Am The Fox has had 20 starts from 1000-1400m for wins over 1100m at Darwin, 1200m at Tamworth, and 1400m at Benalla and Terang.

In contrast, he has tasted success 11 times from 1450-2200m – with six occurring at Darwin, two at Alice Springs, and one each at Katherine, Pakenham and Kyneton.

The 1600m trip at Fannie Bay has brought the horse success on six occasions and his record in Darwin sits at 25: 7-2-5-1.

After farewelling NSW, I Am The Fox debuted in Darwin in April 2018 before heading to Victoria at the start of 2020.

He made his NT return in March last year, making six appearances in Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine before returning to Victoria for two starts at Caulfield and Flemington during the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

A first-up win in open company over 1600m at Fannie Bay in March was followed by a win over 1900m in open company in the Red Centre on April 16 before finishing as the bridesmaid in his quest to make it back-to-back Alice Springs Cup wins.

In his one and only start back in the Top End before the Darwin Cup, I Am The Fox seemed to be on track when finishing third behind Living The Dream in the Metric Mile (1600m).

Happily for Halter, sitting second behind Clarke in the Top End trainers’ premiership with nine wins, the well-travelled horse is fit and raring to go.

“He had a 900m trial the other day (November 29), he has passed all his ECGs and pulled up nice from the trial,” Halter said.

“Because it‘s a long time between the Darwin and Alice Springs carnivals, he’s going to have a bit of a sprint campaign this prep just to ensure that his fitness is up to scratch.

“He actually won over 1100m in Darwin when Craig Conron trained him in 2018, and finished second over 1200m and third twice over 1300m – so as a younger horse he was quite handy over the sprints.

“Obviously he’s back on the road, he’s had a good break to let him get over his issue.

“We don’t want to push him too hard too soon, so he’s just going to have a few sprint runs, then have a freshen and then he’ll come back and he’ll go on to a staying campaign for the Alice Springs Cup.

“We just want to make sure everything is 100 per cent with him.”

Halter, who has only raced I Am The Fox in the Metric Mile and Darwin Cup after taking over from the suspended Garry Lefoe Jnr, hasn’t looked beyond Alice Springs at this stage.

“We’ll let him get through this first,” she said.

“He’s passed all his vets and everything like that, so they’ve given him a clean bill of health.

“So we’ll just bring him along nice and steady heading towards the Alice Springs Cup.

“If all is good, then absolutely he’ll go on to Darwin – the Darwin Cup is always in the back of your mind.

“We’ll just take baby steps, one day at a time.”

Halter is certainly relieved that I Am The Fox, a popular figure in the NT, is back racing when there was the possibility his career may have come to an end.

“He’s in good order, he’s got dapples all over him, he’s colour is good,” she said.

“The vets have given him a clean bill of health, so there’s no reason why he shouldn’t have a good campaign once he steps up to suitable distances.

“Obviously, he needs to have a few sprint runs, which is not ideal, but that’s just the way the program is and we just want to make sure he has got a level of fitness before he steps up in distance.”

I Am The Fox, who has also raced at Moonee Valley and Sandown, may find it tough going keeping up with his rivals on Saturday, especially Bat Pad, Mr Cashman, Hokolesqua and Jet Jackson — a scenario Halter accepts.

“It’s too short for him I would imagine at this point in time,” she said.

“They always say good stayers can sprint well fresh.

“I’m assuming that they will be a bit sharp for him on Saturday, but once he gets out to 1300m he might show up.”

Other trainers to either race or care for I Am The Fox include Darwin pair Dick Leech and Patrick Johnston, former Darwin trainer-jockey Carl Spry, Paul Perry from NSW, and Mick Sell, Jamie Edwards and Nick Ryan from Victoria.

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