Iffraaj’s six-year-old son Ayrton was back in the winners’ enclosure following a thrilling win in the 1400m Listed Weekend Hussler Handicap at Caulfield, Australia on Saturday, 14 October.
Having his first run back since April, Ayrton who is trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, was travelling well entering the straight and making good progress up the centre of the track he hit the front with 125m to run. Holding off a challenge by Stageman in the final stages, he stuck on gamely to win by a neck.
Continuing his oustanding first up form, @MickPriceRacing's 6yo Iffraaj gelding Ayrton captures the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes first time out this campaign with @LaneDamian in the saddle.@RolltheDiceRace @KarakaChat @rogersbstock @HaunuiFarm @NZTM_TWEET @RacingVictoria pic.twitter.com/pYGFnPUWuX
— Black Type Racing (@BreedingRacing) October 14, 2023
Ayrton is now the winner of seven races, including three Stakes victories. In June 2021 he landed the G3 Gunsynd Classic, however three months later he suffered a severe reaction to a spider bite which meant a spell on the sidelines. Making a full recovery, Ayrton returned to the track in April 2022 to claim the G3 Victoria Handicap at Caulfield.
Bred in New Zealand by Greg McCarthy, Ayrton is a son of the unraced-mare Odessa (Falkirk), she is the daughter of Stakes-winning mare Sabbatical who is also the dam of G3-scorer Monterey Bay.
Iffraaj is the sire of 48 individual Group winners, 11 have won at the top level, including Ribchester and Wootton Bassett. So far this year, Iffraaj has sired 10 Stakes winners. They are led by Audience who landed the G3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket and Sakura Girl who struck in the G3 Sunline Vase at Te Rapa, New Zealand.
