Written by Paul Vettise
It’s been a long and slow road back to full health for It’s Me (Shamus Award) and the 4-year-old is now showing why the wait has been worthwhile with stylish wins in her only two appearances.
The Brett Cavanough-trained mare won on debut at Scone earlier this month before she produced a high-quality performance at Randwick in highway class with an impressive defeat of stablemate Pinnacle Prince (Hinchinbrook).
It’s Me was purchased out of Kitchwin Hills’ draft at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $65,000 by Grand Syndicates and in her first trial a year ago she made an encouraging start when runner-up at Scone.
It's Me as a yearling
Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to progress as she suffered a tendon injury, which required 12 months off under the care of rehabilitation expert Lee Evison.
“She’s always been sharp and had 12 months off so all credit to the team who rehabilitated her. The owners have been patient and we’ve looked after her so we can pick the targets,” Cavanough said.
“She’s always been sharp and had 12 months off so all credit to the team who rehabilitated her.” – Brett Cavanough
The $1.3 million The Kosciuszko on October 17 is on the radar for It’s Me, a half-sister to the Listed Great Northern Guineas Prelude winner and Group 3 placegetter Yourein (Reset). The G2 TAB S. winner Kemalpasa (Magnus) is also a member of the family.
Jason Collett rode It’s Me at Randwick and was highly impressed by the effort.
“She gave me a really good feel with the way she quickened and she’s still quite raw. She wasn’t the quickest to begin, but we got down on the fence on the back of the stablemate and the speed was good,” he said.
“I wasn’t really sure how she was travelling and she was on and off the bit and looking around a bit. That was some turn of foot, I know it was a Highway, but far out.”
Collett said the mare had the ability to progress to a far higher grade.
“Definitely, she’s very good and there's more improvement to come with race experience. She couldn’t have been any more impressive.”
“Definitely, she’s very good and there's more improvement to come with race experience. She couldn’t have been any more impressive.” – Jason Collett
Collett wasn’t the only one taken aback by the outcome as Cavanough had been in the corner of Pinnacle Prince, a winner at Scone at his only other outing.
“Never go with your gut feel because I thought the colt would be too good. They are both really nice horses and I'm lucky to get two of them at the one time,” he said.
“It’s a shame they had to clash, but anyway there was a gap to the third horse. They are both very lightly-raced as well.”
It's Me winning on Saturday
Pinnacle Prince is a half-brother to the G3 Ming Dynasty H. winner and G1 Spring Champion S. runner-up Swear. Their dam Crossyourheart (NZ) (Show A Heart) won the Listed Challenge S. and the R. Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Classic.
She is a sister to the dual Group 3 winner Gotta Have Heart with the G1 Hong Kong Sprint winner All Thrills Too (St Covet) featuring on the pedigree page.
