One thing Brad Widdup has learned from the wonderful career of Group 1 winner Icebath is that sometimes in racing, you need to roll the dice.
Icebath was coming off a benchmark 78 win when nosed out by Colette in the 2020 Golden Eagle and started at double-figure odds when pipped by Cascadian in the following year’s Doncaster Mile.
In that vein, Widdup will test the stakes credentials of up-and-coming gelding Global Ausbred in Monday’s Group 3 Summer Cup (2000m) at Randwick where the four-year-old will take on seasoned campaigners including Sky Lab and Lion’s Roar.
“Icebath wouldn’t have got to where she has got if we didn’t have a go with her in certain races,” Widdup said.
“They’re seasoned horses but it’s the right time of the year. I can’t do any more with him and I think it’s worth a throw at the stumps with the form he’s in.
“It will tell us how far he is away.”
While Global Ausbred contested this year’s Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m), the Boxing Day feature will mark his first black-type assignment in open company.
Still an entire, Global Ausbred put the writing on the wall that he was in for a good campaign with a solid fourth to Vilana first-up in the Silver Eagle (1300m) and comes into Monday’s race off a 2000-metre win at Randwick on December 17.
It was that performance that earned him a shot at the Summer Cup in which he will carry the 53kg minimum for Alysha Collett.
“We finally got a drop in the weights (last start) and things fell his way,” Widdup said.
“It was a good, tough, grinding win.
“He has pulled up well and he seems fresh.”
A field of 14 has been accepted for the Summer Cup with John O’Shea paying up for three runners, headed by 2021 Randwick Guineas winner Lion’s Roar, who turned in his best performance since returning from an injury layoff when a last-start second to stablemate Kirwin’s Lane in The Ingham (1600m).