Successful at G3 level around this time last year in the SAJC Chairman’s Stakes (2000m), the Phillip Stokes trained I Am Immortal gelding Athanatos has been winless since but returned to form with a barnstorming victory in the $500,000 The Coast 3&4YO Quality (1600m) at Gosford on Saturday.
With the Andrew Adkins trained race favourite Sarrismo going forward to take up the running with Michael Vella’s 150/1 outsider Cosmeena on his outside, jockey Kerrin McEvoy had Athanatos tracking along in third, getting the run of the race.
As the Tom Charlton trained Sarrismo kicked strongly on the turn, it was a question of had jockey Andrew Adkins used too much petrol during the race or could the son of I Am Invincible hold on to record his first black type victory.
Cosmeena started to weaken and Athanatos came to the outside of Sarrismo, pulling past him before racing away to score by a tick over a length.
Holding on for second, Sarrismo held a narrow margin over the Matt Laurie trained Victorian visitor Grand Omaha who worked home well for third.
Having not ridden the gelding since fourth in the G1 Toorak Handicap during the spring, Kerrin McEvoy was glad to be back aboard the 4yo.
“I was pretty confident when I got the booking and looked at his runs,” McEvoy said.
“I gave 'Stokesy' (trainer Phillip Stokes) a call yesterday and he backed it up. He said, 'he's in good form'.
“I got confidence out of the fact the last time he went to the mile was in the Toorak, and as we know it's a competitive handicap, a Group One, and he wasn't beaten far.”
At Morphettville where he saw Arran Bay win the G3 Cummings Stakes, Stokes indicated that connections had highlighted The Coast as a good pointer to his chances of contesting the Five Diamonds (1800m) in Sydney later this year.
“Next prep we're going to aim up for that," Stokes said.
“This was a big prizemoney race, and the owners will be wrapped.
“I'm getting a bit of a handle on Sydney now. It's something we want to explore more and have more of a presence up there, so it's important to identify horses to send up.
“He might be a horse we now have to look at Brisbane with.”
With four wins and 14 placed efforts from 23 starts, the win of Athanatos took his earnings to $863,850.
Bred by Esker Lodge and Partners, Athanatos is the best of three winners from four to the races out of the O'Reilly mare Mumbeilly.
Mumbeilly was retired from stud duties in 20024 with her final foal being the current unraced two-year-old filly by Newgate Farm’s Tiger Of Malay named Kejayaan.
One of six stakes performers for I Am Invincible’s Listed Blue Diamond Preview (C&G) and G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) winner, the Swettenham Stud based I Am Immortal will stand the upcoming season at a fee of $8,800 (inc. GST).
