Oakland Park owner Neville Duncan had all bases covered when Ihtsahymn and Kincaple settled down to a stirring duel in the G2 C B Cox Stakes (2100m) at Ascot on Saturday.

Ihtsahymn (3g Ihtiram – Umatune by Umatilla) made the most of an 8kg pull in the weights to score by a long neck from his older rival.  Duncan and his partners have banked over $700,000 since the grey gelding arrived over the horizon to complete a hat-trick in the G2 WA Guineas, G1 Kingston Town Classic and G2 Cox Stakes.

Duncan doesn’t have any yearlings by former Oakland Park stallion Ihtiram for the 2014 Perth Magic Millions yearling sale but he has entered a sister to Kincaple as Lot 86.

The Pentire – Kincaple Lass filly is one of a half-dozen youngsters in Oakland Park’s draft catalogued for Book 1.  They are all by interstate sires Snitzel (2), Magnus, Medaglia d’Oro and Denman.

“We’ve have a wonderful association with Oakland Park,” winning trainer Fred Kersley said.  “Hopefully, it will continue for years to come.”

Kersley and Duncan raced champion galloper Northerly over a decade ago, however, the Hall of Fame trainer wouldn’t be drawn on whether Ihtsahymn will also head to the Eastern States next year.

“I’m just happy to win today,” Kersley said.  “I was apprehensive because it was a big test against a good field.  I wasn’t sure whether he was mentally or physically strong enough.  But he had done well in the stable so we went ahead.”

Duncan sold Umatune shortly after she foaled Ihtsahymn but retained a link to the family through his sister Ihtsatune and half-sister Jestatune (Rory’s Jester).  The latter won a Gimcrack Stakes in Perth and has a yearling filly by Lonhro.